Limited Feather
by zenithzwei
Summary: A failure is nothing more than that. Full of flaws, unable to even be used to fulfill one's expectations. It is simply something that will be replaced by a successor excelling in what it could not. However, even failure has worth, and what if two failures encountered each other? Will it change anything, or will it change nothing at all?
1. Prologue - Under the Rain

"Oh my, are you lost?"

A boy drenched in the rain stilled. At an alley where no common people would pass through, it was a dirty passage where vagrants settled in for a lonesome night. Even with the advancement of technology, poverty still existed. Conflicts still existed, and much to his chagrin, he was no longer troubled by it all.

He had already accepted his fate.

Without a home to return to. Without friends or family to look for. Only living as is, scavenging food and being asked for 'errands' by the adults who were willing to hesr his pleas. He had already become a part of business behind the doors at this point.

The orphan stared at the pair of red orbs reflecting his unseemly figure. Then, they lowered down, the eyes' owner squatting down to match the level of their eyes.

"Hey, hey! What's your name?" The person with strange rabbit ears asked, her bright-colored parasol spinning slowly in her hands.

"...none." The child no older than 5 years old answered.

He wondered why. He had lost everything, had nothing to fight for and fated to die like a street rat he was. In fact, it was easy to imagine his own death but... He wasn't sure why he gave an answer. Why, of all things possible, did he respond to this stranger's question? It was just odd.

"I see, I see." The girl's purple hair fluttered. "Hey, if you've got nothing to name yourself..."

The girl grabbed his wrist. In a matter of an instance, they stood with little space between them, their hands joined together.

"Nice to meet you, 'Ro-kun'!"

She exclaimed shamelessly. With her dazzling smile that choked him, the child reflexively repeated, "'Ro-kun'...?"

"Yep! Your name from now on is 'Shinkurou', and your petname is 'Ro-kun'! Aren't I a genius?" The girl puffed her chest proudly.

He wondered if that was the case. To be honest, he began to question her sanity, considering how all the people around here had natural black hair. To call him as 'True Black' when he was already black-haired seemed reptetive, condescending, and also discriminating.

" _Tabane!_ There you are...! The driver is waiting, you fool!" A stern voice suddenly emerged.

The girl rubbed the back of her head with a nasty smile. So she was called 'Tabane' huh...?

"Whoops, _Chi-chan..._ Howdy there!" Tabane waved a hand at an approaching girl with raven-black hair.

She was beautiful. Even by his standard, the raven-haired girl was a league on her own. Wearing a sailor uniform, black thighs and holding a colorless umbrella, the girl with mature countenance felt a bit too mature for being a student.

But this time, he was slightly intimidated by how sharp the glare she gave. Who was this person?

"Fooling around like this... hm?" The girl made a sound upon noticing him.

With a quick glance, the already sharp glare intensified. If a glance could kill, the girl would've destroyed the city with that gaze of hers alone. The boy was thankful he had nothing to lose, but he felt intimidated since it was rare for him to ever taste _murderous intent_ at full brunt.

"Chi-chan, this is Shinkurou aka Ro-kun!" Tabane introduced exaggerated ly.

"...are you trying to pick up another stray, Tabane?" The girl crossed her arms and huffed.

"But he's interesting...!"

The child slackened his jaw at the casual reason Tabane had. Since when did he become as low as stray cat. Sadly, his hand was gripped tighter than before, causing him to look at the purple-haired girl. Despite hiding it with a smile and cute pouts, he felt like she was nervous around the raven-haired girl.

 _Why would she be afraid...?_

"Chi-chan, it'd be very lonely when we get in the lab...! Don't you know rabbits will die if left alone?" Tabane asked, her mechanical bunny ears went up and down with inorganic ...

"Listen, you... Tabane, you can't even do anything other than pilfering bolts and screws. What the hell do you know about taking care children?"

The boy winced a little, and as he had expected, the bunny-eared girl turned crestfallen. Her friend certainly didn't mince words.

"Chi-chan, I can take care of children just fine!"

"Let's see how will your sister answer if asked then."

With a refined and decisive blow, the bunny-eared girl teared up and ran away, screaming 'Chi-chan is an idiioooottt! I'll spread words about you doting on Ikkun beyond siblings would!' like a child throwing tantrums.

...no. She certainly DID throw tantrums like an immature kid.

"Wait, Tabane...!? Hey!" Before she could finish, the girl-in-question had already vanished into the crowds.

It prompted 'Chi-chan' to exhale with a hand on her forehead. Her umbrella shook off droplets of water that refused to fall to the wet concrete.

"Good grief... Just what have I done to deserve her as a friend..?"

 _Probably some_ divine intervention, the street rat bemused in his mind. His idle thoughts, however, were soon broken off by what seemed to be as the middle-school student.

"Hey, you..." She called out. "Don't you have some place to lodge in? A home?"

"...I don't have any." The boy replied, that girl from before must have been messing around with him. But at least that was considerably tamer than what he usually experienced...

For some reasons, the girl sighed and rubbed her temple. It seemed she has a headache to deal with and expected there would be more incoming. But unlike her friend, the girl was more composed and adult-like compared to how her looks suggested as. Also, her glare was absolutely inhuman.

"Come with me. We still have to catch that mad rabbit so I'll have you go along." She waved a hand, gesturing him to enter the area below the umbrella.

...what? Was she dragging him along? For what reason? Even though he was just a street urchin on top of being a stranger to her...?

"Hurry up. I don't want NASA to knock on my front door. The faster we catch Tabane, the faster you can have a proper treatment and meal." The girl urged with a glare.

To her intimidation, all the boy could do was think. One option was to ignore her and find some meaningless death on the roadside, the other was to accompany these two young girls without knowing why and for what reason. If he was dead, nobody would grieve for him. But going along with strangers meant he was entrusting his life to their hands. He was fine in choosing one of them and he had no qualm whatsoever even if he died horribly, but—

"Tch. Get going already!" The raven-haired girl snapped, took the boy's wrist and dragged him out of the alley.

He was without shoes and his clothing was dirty as well as torn. He could feel the stares from the surroundings on him, and he shivered in fear as he recognized those disgusted eyes for too many times to count for.

Despite that.

Despite feeling as if the world had come crashing down upon him, he felt a prickling pain coming from his hand; his black eyes rolled down to know why.

That wrist of him which was held by the girl. Her sharp gaze dispelled the terrifying gazes away. Her determination filled her every step and her every movement as she dragged him by the hand.

"Are you alone?" The girl asked as the two traversed through the crowds.

The boy didn't answer but the girl held his hand tighter than before.

"While Tabane isn't someone that I'd like to define as 'sane', she doesn't have anything against you. You have her attention so you can _at least_ trust her to care for you," she spoke out. "You will reach your home soon."

The nameless vagrant stared at the back of the girl.

He wasn't sure what to say as a response. Did he hate it, the way she reassured him? Yes. Was he feeling repulsed and suspicious over her straightforward attitude? Absolutely.

But still—

Even though that was the case—

Even though all of this might as well be a dream... a spark of doubt emerged in his worn out heart.

He had no one to teach him about the world, or the people around him. No longer was there anyone to dote on him, no longer was there anyone to shower him with love or comforting him when he was sad. Only violent people and fellow vagrants were around to scold him, jeer at him, beating him senseless and never giving the reward for his efforts.

Living a rough and painful life, unable to buy even medicine if he was sick. He scavenged trash and ate whatever leftover he found regardless of their states. Only to survive for another harsh day.

Tonight seemed to be a cold night. The rain became downpour and worsened his health. He was cold, incredibly cold his teeth sometimes chattered.

 _It's fine_ , he told himself. He was used to this already. I'm sure it won't change anything.

 _It's alright_ , he reminded himself. He knew that he would end up stranded somewhere, the same like always.

But... somehow. For now...

This strong hand holding his... _It feels warm_.


	2. Chapter 1 - A New Life

The boy told himself he was going to be alright. But that hope soon dashed the moment he landed in a limousine with Tabane and the girl who later introduced herself as 'Orimura Chifuyu'. He knew neither of them so he sat at the corner and zoned out due to habits.

Then came the torture... NOT. It was nothing more than some tests and registrations he totally had no idea. He couldn't even understand most of the big words in the forms and Tabane snatched the papers off his hands, adding things up and handed them to some persons with black suits.

After that, he was dragged off by the rabbit to some military base in a mountain, took a thorough cleaning, ate a share larger than he could ever have from his small savings, and received replacements for clothes.

"Haa..." The boy sighed as he eyed his clothing attire.

It was nothing but a short-sleeved white shirts, baggy denim pants and a black hoodie jacket. He chose the most simplistic clothes and he'd prefer those that could be used for a long time and withstanding terrible punishments.

Being practical had become his forte after all. Still...

"Ro-kuuuunnn!" A certain, almost hysterical but still squealing shout approached from the distance. _And it's pretty dang familiar._

"Great. Here we go again..."

The boy rolled his eyes as a certain rabbit dressed in a style reminiscent of a character from Lewiss Carroll's novel pounced on him, hugging him around the waist.

"Ro-kun! Ro-kun Ro-kun Ro-kun! I did it! _Mommy_ finally got the a-okay!" She reported happily as she cuddled her 'son' while twirling on place.

Obviously, she had more strength than the boy had. He was slightly put off by the fact a girl no less older than a second year high schooler spinning him around in the base's hallway like a rag doll.

"Get. Off. Me!" He roared to no avail.

After fifteen hellish minutes, Tabane calmed down. Her mechanical bunny ears did not stop executing it's gimmicks though.

"...Tabane. When was the last time I told you to not jump on someone? There could have been a serious accident." The boy complained. "Also, you're not my parent. Even the family registry says you're my adoptive sister."

With a pout and squinted eyes, the rabbit decidedly ignored his words all at once, then she switched back to her happy mood as fast as lightning. Damn this girl...

"So so! Do you know what this means, Ro-kun?" Tabane asked.

After being fed up and also tired of getting mad every time, the boy exhaled. "You can now develop that something-finite-something?"

He earned two thumbs-up.

"Yep! That spacesuit looks soooooooooooo boring! I don't like it! Isn't it better to reconstruct everything from the scratches?" Tabane asked.

"So hundreds of billions of dollars have been wasted instantly huh."

Joy, he thought flatly. Yet another antic of his foster sister at work. Even though he was more or less used to her shenanigans, he couldn't think of any sane reason to switch an international project for the sake of space exploration with something more elegantly sophisticated, exceedingly versatile, beyond modern, very compact to a T and also far more dangerous than an ICBM that it seemed likely to change the world in seven nights.

...it can't be that he was going to witness a turning point in history, right? That'd be shocking if he were to tell this to his future descendants.

Then again, the boy - Shinkurou Shinonono had always accompanied his adopted sibling's 'baptism with fire' (read: crazy antocs) regardless of them earning him more than scratches... or near-death experiences. After a week, he already felt like he was in hell for a century or so.

"So, Ro-kun! Let's see the new lab together! We've got works to do!" Tabane stated and dragged the poor ex-vagrant away.

"Dammit... Why the hell am I here anyway...?" The unfortunate boy loved by the mad scientist grumbled.

* * *

The next thing he saw was cable. Not one but many. Not hundreds but thousands. The numerous cables stretched and spread all-over the ground that he couldn't even see the steel plated flooring. He smelled the scent of oil, burned steel and saw alloys being pounded, reshaped to click together when placed.

Behind a heatproof window, Shinkurou gazed at the project that went sidetracked after her mother went into her usual irritated-chief mode. The laboratory they were in was separated into two parts, with one used for monitoring as well as non-hazardous area while the other next to it was used as a research field that doubled as a hangar to deliver the supply and parts for experimentation.  
 _  
But to be honest, this is like an airplane hangar or automobile factory.  
_  
At the other side, commanding the entire staffs and scientists was the boy's eccentric sister. Normally, she was laid back and... well, Tabane-like, but every now and then, when she put herself into doing what she wanted... she flipped a 180 degree. She worked in silence that she forgot when to eat, harsh to anyone who made mistakes and shouted orders for insane precision as well as split-second swiftness.

The half-serious jokes that any who did second mistake would be send to the grinder never helped either. The entire team literally became headless chickens queuing into the slaughterhouse.

"Oh, if it's not the boy. Is it the usual?" A scientist in lab cloak cocked his head to see him.

"Yeah. Sorry for Tabane's behavior again, Prof." Shinkurou replied without taking his eyes off the observatory room's window.

Hearing the familiar chuckles, Shinkurou recalled who the person was. One of Tabane's co-researcher, a wise old man with similar taste if not the same with Tabane's. However, Shinkurou knew his foster sibling had no interest in him so she always forgot be it his face or his name.

"So..." The professor started. "What do you think, boy? Does this fascinate you?"

Shinkurou hummed. He was not interested in the least bit. In fact, he could say it was a waste of time and money. For him who ran through dirty alleys and lived close to the dark side of humans everyday, he was certain a state-of-art gizmo did nothing but harm.

Also costly. It's a freaking project with money gushed out from a broken faucet.

In fact, he was irritated by how people here wasted astronomical amount of budget when it could be used to live with a wardrobe of clothes in a condo complete with gas, electricity and hot water plus yearly supply of 5-stars cuisines.

 _Living already costed a damn lot, you rich bastards!_

But of course, he wouldn't say that. So the black-haired boy opted for a softer version. "Why make it partially when it's a spacesuit?"

"Hoh Ho! A very insightful question!" Professor laughed then urged Shinkurou to check his holo-window.

Seeing the statistics and graphs that were already not unfamiliar for him, Shinkurou drew a line after dotting the pieces together.

"Absolute Defense system for protection of pilot and replacement of armor... Inertia Canceller to get rid of the flight burden and restrictions. Huh, even anti-gravity mechanism by reversing geomagnetic." Shinkurou noted. "Isn't this more like a suit designed for uses on earth?"

The boy was not an idiot. He had seen and read the files related to the project whether he wanted to or not. Because Tabane would put him on the operation table if he did not do as he was told to, he had no chance to refuse. Wonders worked since he was totally unable to understand anything.

 _Fortunately, the scientists here seemed to be entertained whenever I asked for something, and this old man explained in an easy way._

And so, while he was still not on par with the genius that holed their selves in a secluded mountain-camouflaged research facility, he could at least decipher the purpose of the project and where it belonged to. He _did_ question why is there a need of making it less _suitable_ and opted for style as well as esthetic but he refrained from asking further when the Professor entered his 'moments' once again.

"Not just a 'suit', child! This is the apex of science! An utterly compact unit to allow humans to soar through the sky without having to narrow their eyes or lessen their senses over the blowing winds...! Added with unimaginable combat strength evolving through autonomous learning... also a non-hazardous core that fuels energy almost endlessly! This is truly a turning point in mankind's history!" Professor explained, his tone already went off the chart with a speed faster than a vulcan gun.

Shinkurou wondered why he was getting so excited even though it was bad for his old heart. But anyway...

"It's designed to have armaments. Isn't it for military use?" The boy pointed out.

Not even a second passed and the air grew cold, tense like a wire ready to snap.

"Yes... yes, my boy! It is such a shame that people cannot see this Advancement as nothing more than a tool for bloodshed! Those fools sitting behind their clean desks have not even the slightest intelligence to share joy and only act for their self-interests...!" The old man in white coat grumbled.

He's still in his machine-gun-speech mode.

...so those assholes from previous generations still had flea-sized brains and morals, Shinkurou nodded without a care. He rarely saw honest people so why did he have to doubt corrupted bags of desires and egos which were politicians? That'd be far too idiotic.

Also, can't even bother to worry for world peace when he had an adult who knew nothing about chores around, right?

"Still, my boy! Worry not for your sister too is against such terrifying idea!" Professor reassured, making a point that was too hard to pass as a joke.

"Tabane did?" Shinkurou asked, his voice sounded dumbfounded rather than amazed.

Has the heaven fell already? is the world going to end by daybreak?

"Indeed," Professor nodded. "All of us in this place do not have the motivation to trifle ourselves with wars. War is pointless. No matter how far bloodshed brings us for a leapt of civilization, it always left permanent scars. Thus we chose to petition for an international policy when we gained leverage in the upcoming presentation."

Huh... is that so? Well, Shinkurou couldn't care less about it all.

He wasn't against violence if it could protect his life. He wasn't against committing crimes if he could live with full stomach even if only for another day.

The boy wasn't a stranger to evil nor was he ignorant of it ever since he lost everything, thus he could employ evil for his own gain. Shinkurou looked toward the window yet again, at the figure of the out-of-place Alice with bunny ears who positioned herself as the central chain of commands.

"So she can tell when to run her mouth off..."

He expected someone like Tabane would have fun watching the world burned to ash rather than protecting it. She lacked common sense and she seemed to not understand the concept of good and evil. No, she must have thought of things depending on whether they would interest her or not.

She was chaos incarnate. A genius who could twist the world if she wanted to with her monstrous intellect. Yet she refused to make her toys for violence...? Why?

"...boy." Professor called out, snapping Shinkurou back to reality.

He felt his big hand on his shoulder. Staring deep into the scientist's old eyes, he noticed a light inside them. That bright light that seemed to tear through lies and deception with ease, crumbling all logic just for one desire.

He didn't like that light.

"You are, although not related by blood, a Shinonono. Make no mistake, however! For you are you... and nobody else can ever replace you!"

Really...? That girl over there isn't one that will keep being entertained by the same doll, you know? Her love of life is that cluttering mass of metal.

"Therefore, boy. Carve your own path and sail through life!" Professor exclaimed as if testing his vocal cord.

"...hm..."

Brushing the man's hand, Shinkurou turned around and walked off without saying words more words. Skillfully hiding his irritation with experience learned by observing liars exchanging lies.

"We'll see then." He said as the automated door opened, letting him exit the room before closing back. 

As he trudged through the hallway, he passed by several places such as the mess hall or soldier barracks. Shinkurou rarely went out to talk with people but in Japan, living under the same roof caused the inhabitants to have more sense of obligation for greetings and chatting when encountering someone. 

The boy had to deal with smuggled snack by the chief of the mess hall, and he had to entertain a couple of soldiers who always made fun of his name. The latter wasn't so pleasant but he knew when they draw the line. 

He always realized the subtlety behind people's reactions so it was easy to tell their reasons. Even nationalist men and women were humans.

"And I too... am a human." Huh, it sounded worse than I thought it would be.

Shinkurou was near his arranged room when he heard the echo of footsteps ahead of him. A person walking towards him... and he knew her.

"...Chifuyu...?" He called out, completely baffled by the presence of a raven-haired beauty known to the Shinononos.

"Hm? Oh, it's you." Orimura Chifuyu said before halting, putting a hand on her waist as she greeted. "You look a little more presentable than before. It seems it didn't take Tabane a while to keep you down."

Shinkurou sighed. "Like hell it wasn't. I'd have been remodeled into some stupid cyborg if I let her do the job."

He remembered how he was strapped to an operation table. That experience where one would be blared by strong lights while hearing dissection saw spinning wasn't something he'd ever undergo for the second time.

He wasn't even sure how he escaped with his limbs intact.

"Hm... so she did the same to you." Chifuyu commented.

"...she did that more than once?" Shinkurou asked in disbelief.

The raven-haired woman shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, that means you're quite high on her list. Her sister too ended up like you but she's quick in countering. Not that she's good in other fields."

...if she had the will to perform human modification on a blood related sibling, what could've stopped Tabane from building a Frankenstein? Shinkurou shuddered for the possibility where the crazy rabbit would dig a grave just to find some crystal skulls.

Reason? _Because it's interesting._

"Right. Why are you here, _Chifuyu?_ " Shinkurou finally went to the point, only to be hit with a chop on the head.

"You... can't you learn some humility? I'm older than you, brat."

"So...? Not like your friend has any modesty at all."

Chifuyu wiped down her face with her hand while Shinkurou grunted and rubbed his head. For being a girl, he didn't expect her to hit harder than hard-cover book. Is she even a human...?

"...forget it. Where's Tabane?" The girl asked.

"She's busy with her new toy." Shinkurou answered.

 _I knew,_ Chifuyu replied. The boy couldn't help but to cock an eyebrow upon a simple realization.

"You... knew?" He parroted. "How?"

"Tabane always have a way to annoy someone." Chifuyu shortly answered.

Ah, she seemed miffed by it. Shinkurou sympathized with a fellow victim, both exhaling in wonder how or why they got involved in with that twisted genius. But he'd been near her only for half a year so he couldn't see how deep the Mad Scientist could sink her SAN reducing fang in.

...setting that aside...

"Why does she need you?" Shinkurou quizzed.

"Oh? Are you afraid your sister will be taken away?" Chifuyu grinned.

The boy scoffed. "It'd be a whole damn lot easier if she gets off me. I never signed up for this Big Babysitting role."

However, Shinkurou received a knock at the head that tilted him a step back. Half-glaring, he caught the older girl smiling smugly, and it wasn't one that was filled with the usual stiffness or sarcasm.

"That just shows you are loved, idiot." She said in an almost tender tone. Keyword being 'almost'.

The boy chose to grumble silently at the cringing notion. The day he'd be loved by a freak-of-nature like Tabane would only be the day hell freezes over.

"Well, I'm going ahead. Tabane will go ballistic if neither you or me are around so..."

"I'll stay away as long as I can. I don't need 'Remodeling', thank you very much."

The two passed each other without batting any more eye contact. He intended to sleep his day out and he wasn't about to let anything, not even his noisy older sister or even the other sister he had never met could interrupt

In fact, he had enough of it all. It was one thing to live as an eccentric's step-sibling and to spend life within some secret research facility isolated from outside world, but to know there were people who would do anything to change his way of life upset him. Very much so.

He wanted to live as is, yes. He didn't mind falling from grace and had to eat mud to survive. He didn't mind to harm others to get what he wanted, and he couldn't care less if he died since it was due to his own choice.

But...

'Do not worry, boy. Your sister and us will protect you.'

'That means you are loved, idiot.'

'Your name... from now on is Shinkurou! Shortened as Ro-kun!'

Stepping short from opening his room's door, the black-haired boy raised his head, eyes sharpening and scowling.

"What the hell's wrong with these people...?" Shinkurou clawed his head in annoyance and headache. "Whatever. I don't give a damn even if that girl blows up the base out of some system errors."

He grumbled and entered the room. Within the simple, unsophisticated and bland personal space exclusive to him, he took off his jacket and shirts and unfastened his belt.

With a slow but staggering steps, Shinkurou flopped onto the bed, drowsiness soon attacked like a plague.

"...ah... how long am I going to live like this...?" The boy asked nobody in particular. "I wish this is all just a bad dream..."

With that, the boy drifted off to a dreamless slumber. He had no attachment to all so he rarely even used his own imagination. To dream was something he didn't need.

It never helped him. It never brought him up. It never gave food or water to him nor it gave him a roof to hide from rouges. He couldn't live with dreaming alone.

That was why he didn't get it. Why would those people lend a hand when they have their own trouble? Why can't they just stop messing around with other lives?

The boy raised his hand, staring at it. The warmth he felt back there for some reasons... _It reminded him._ Of the life he once had. Of the home he left behind without a choice. Of the memories he wanted to bury at the core of Earth. Normally, he'd forget anything that could not assist him in pulling through a harsh day but only That Memory was burned into the depth of his mind.

"..." Shinkurou clenched his hand and opened it up, feeling the faint warmth that resembled a phantom pain. A week had gone by yet he was... still feeling it. Even though he dismissed it for times and again, whenever he looked at his own hand, the memories just burst out like a popped bubble.

The accursed past he was no longer related with... As well as the warmth he received in that rainy night... Why are they resurfacing again lately?

"...being kind... won't help me to live through another day."

Unable to understand or link the dots together, Shinkurou told himself once again a mantra that kept him alive so far. It was a sentence that always reminded him people could lie, and henceforth taking advantage of him. He must not let down his guard even if he was given a sanctuary to sleep under. Closing his eyes for half an hour, the boy finally fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

-Author's Rambling-

Why thank you for your kind words, sir/ma'am! Whoever you are, it's good to know a response or two! It took me a lot of courage just to write and publish a story in public, so I'm glad there are plus points to be noted for. Moving on to the chapter, there's no action (yet) but the foreshadowing is already increasing in numbers. What will this entail to?


	3. Chapter 2 - The Boy and the Failure

When he woke up, it was pain that greeted him. Enough that his eyes snapped open to see the dark ceiling. Groaning, the boy got up and realized he was face first on the floor.

 _To think I'd drop off the bed..._

Shinkurou got up slowly and stood up. He felt refreshed albeit a bit dull. After his recent 'nightmares', he was never so tired than now.

"How long did I sleep...?" He glanced at his clock. "Four-past-fifty… Fuck."

He remembered he had something to do with Tabane. It probably was related to the machine she built and he was late... _By three damn hours._

"That girl's going to kill me..." Shinkurou threw his hands up the air, changed his clothes and scurried out of his room like a headless chicken. 

* * *

"Tabane - huh? She's not here?"

Entering the first lab, Shinkurou was greeted by utter silence. The light was out and all he could tell were some neon lamps shining dimly to make paths toward emergency exit door. Also, the door connecting to development section was left open.

"...wait. I thought that's an automated door...?" He muttered which furthered his suspicion.

Walking towards it, Shinkurou found out the door was jammed by cables as thick as adult male's arm. They crawled across the steel plate floor and spreading all over the place. Tracing them to their sources, the boy soon found out something... shocking.

"That's...?" He craned his head as he noticed white metal which seemed like greave and footplate of a set of armor.

Next to the 'legs' were a pair of triangular white gauntlets that seemed unsuited for human arms with the extra length, and even the gloves resembled giant claws. Above them all was a floating triangular breastplate, same in color and elegant in design.

Then came the... 'wings'. Yes. Two silvery white wings with sharp 'feathers' surrounding several thrusters colored by gold and blue. Those giant wings accompanied a helmet that held round visor with smooth lining to cover the lower jaw.

It was... it was an armor. A mechanical armor unit with design reminiscent of a knight and a bird. _A steel, angelic knight._

"Ohoho~ Now look who's finally here...!"

Shinkurou cringed. Beads of sweats roiling down his entire body, he slowly but surely, like a rusted machine would, rotated his head as he caught the figure of a certain rabbit-eared Alice in his vision.

"...T-Taba...ne..." The unfortunate boy squeezed out a name. All types of despairing thoughts returning in vengeance.

The air was daaamn cold. It was colder than the peak of everest in the middle of wintry night, and Shinkurou honestly believed it was far warmer than the hell he was going to be thrown in to.

"Yeeess~? Shinkurou, what is it...?"

 _Oh, shit. She didn't even use a nickname._

"...well..."

"Hmm~? Do you have something to say~?"

 _Double shit. She didn't even sound nonsensical. That means..._

"...I'm... screwed... right?"

"Yep!"

Shortly after, banshee-like cries shook the whole military base. 

* * *

_If anything was possible, I would've liked it if God stopped putting pranks on me._

*crack* *click* The eerie sounds emerged from Shinkurou's neck and shoulder he twisted around back to their default positions.

"Gah... Urgh. I thought my neck was going to be broken..." He sighed and rubbed his 'injury'.

"Hmph! That'll teach Ro-kun not to make a lady waiting!" Tabane pouted. "Even Houki-chan can bathe alone now..."

"Bathing is a luxury for me..." The adopted child of the Shinonono commented.

He was, after all, an inhabitant of the underworld until last week. Even after all that intensive re-education and treatments, it was hard to adapt when he was thrown out of the society he once lived in for several years.

"Well... you'll manage, Ro-kun! Mommy will help you for sure!" Tabane reassured.

"Like I said... you're not my mother. Also, worry about yourself more, you ditz!" The boy snapped.

And a second later, the girl bloomed a smile enough to warrant millions of dollar. Even Shinkurou couldn't help but to avert his eyes by that dazzling expression rumored to be her ultimate weapon. _Fuck, what the hell did I just say?_

"Oh! So Ro-kun is worried of me? Mama is soooo moved!"

And she flew to hug him like a bear. It's a beaaaarrr hug— _*snap*_

" _Gaaaaah?!_ You bitch! What the hell's wrong with your strength?! Get off me…!"

"Noooope! It's sibling skinship time~!"

 _And you're fine killing your sibling with a skinship?!_

"Get! Off! Me!" Shinkurou yelled.

The two continued to bicker around until finally, with another pout, he was released. Crashing down on his butt, the boy groaned.

"You... you really DO want to be the death of me, huh?!" He glared up but much to his dismay, Tabane skipped away. Damn this girl...

...haa. The boy exhaled, shaking his head in resignation. Despite the short time he had been with the rabbit, he realized she was far more unreadable than how she looked like. In fact, she was flaunting how she lived without restraints that he questioned her moral, only to realize common sense was never written in her dictionary.

Sometimes, he believed Tabane's mind ran several dimensions away from what mortals could.

Staring at the purple haired, purple-and-pink eyed rabbit and observing her fawning over the hunk of winged steel, he noticed the shades didn't add up at the corner. It was more like a bad trick for the eyes but when his eyes slowly adjusted themselves to the darkness...

He found 'something else' in the Development Section.

"...Tabane, what's that?" Shinkurou pointed out.

"Hm?" The Mad Scientist cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, that's the 0.5th-generation...!"

' _0.5th'...?_ Shinkurou wondered if Tabane had just branded a similar and yet eerie unit as nothing closer than a predecessor to the Winged Knight.

"Yep! The child over there has had not much use that it can't even be improved further. The system's bugged, full of errors, inefficient in design and it doesn't have a stable core working. I used it as a model from the previous project."

 _Unlike this child,_ Tabane patted the Knight with a solemn smile befitting her age. Finally, he saw a semblance maturity including in her voice but it sounded distant when she referred to the scrapped machine.

"Why is that? Can't you fix it?"

The boy walked towards it. He saw one gray wing with black jet verniers hovering unsteadily around a pair of ashen legs with claws as the feet. The gauntlets were slightly triangular with a box under the sleeves that seemed to be used in tandem with some module he couldn't found or recognize. The torso was a plate of armor while the waist was a shroud 'skirts' that looked more like blades sewn together.

"Nope. Even Tabane the Genius can't repair it! It's a bummer that the errors and bugs cloned like a viral... and with how the frame of the Prototype Core Network is... no choice but to shut down the entire system." Tabane raised her hands to the air as she admitted defeat, one which was probably her first and biggest failure.

Looking around it, Shinkurou also found the armors... which supposed to be worn on the pilot's body was not symmetric and it didn't give the vibe of any existing type. Then there was one sliding spaulder for the right shoulder and a headset with pointy antenna, making the left portion of the apparel slightly bulkier than the other.

In all, it was more like a fallen angel with one wing.

"...is that how it is...?" He asked, although to whom the question was for, nobody except him knew.

Damaged, battered, fell from grace and rusty as if it had taken a terrible beating. Shinkurou judged it served its purpose and believed it would never see the light of dawn.

At that... he felt some sympathy. The machine was practically him in a different form.

No matter how he diced it, the circumstance was the same. It was left behind and succeeded. It was abandoned and forgotten without clear purpose. It would wait to no avail and then it would rot in the darkness, decaying until it crumbled to dust.

"..." Shinkurou touched the broken unit. There was the sensation of absolute coldness that seemed to reject any warmth.

A pure, lonesome steel wing.

"Hey. Tabane, does this have any name at all?" The boy asked.

"Hm...? Oh, the child has no official name but... The core's code is ASN-CRW-000." The genius replied. "Although saying that, the Core isn't working the way it supposed to so it's also not correct to call it a Core."

Then a Reactor perhaps? Shinkurou mused as a thought flashed in his head.

"ASN-CRW... 'Ashen Crow', huh?"

As he gazed at the prototype, he felt something surfacing within him. Prompting his hand to touch the unit, he felt as if he heard something cryptic. Something like a thumping sound. Faint enough to warrant no attention to it.

The sound of a heartbeat. 

* * *

One Chifuyu Orimura grumbled as she walked down the street and returning to her home. She had enough of Tabane what with her terrible humors and she even dared to forgot in dealing with the rumors flying everywhere at the Internet.

For goodness' sake, why can't she just keep the line, that damned rabbit!

After a terrible silence in front of the front door, Chifuyu sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She was not a stranger to her 'friend's' antics but that didn't mean she could go along with everything she said.

She mustn't be swayed, Chifuyu told herself almost like swearing an oath. There was conviction in her eyes, because she has something more important than her own life to protect.

And when she unlocked the door and opened it, a waft of scent tickled her satiety.

"Oh? Chifuyu-nee, welcome back!" A boyish voice greeted her.

As she found one young boy struggling in doing something in the kitchen, Chifuyu tilted her head. There she found him, draping over a simple apron as a wide smile like sunflower blooming in the middle of summer appeared.

His neatly trimmed hair was black in color and his eyes were brown. The boy was unquestionably a kid around the age of five and yet there was something... like a warm air around him, an aura that could reassure all close to him from anxiety and worry.

Then Chifuyu was reminded of what she talked with her close friend. That eccentric was up against something big, bigger than she could ever imagine and probably not even considering the risk... or even consequences that'd follow.

It was typical of Tabane to focus in one thing but not the other. Honestly, she even ignored her own parents and classmates as if treating them as air. She even had the gall to say those she'd care for her entire life were her little sister, her best friend and the little boy who was cooking dinner as if it was the normal thing to do for a child of his age.

Still, she seemed to have slight interest in someone she recently picked up. Chifuyu wondered if she'd care enough for him like she did to the three aforementioned persons.

 _Still... imagining that a child no older than him with such eyes..._

Chifuyu found it ironic that she met the boy. It was like fate was telling her that had she not picked her decision, the result would be the boy. And to know that nobody helped him until he lost the innocent light in his eyes...

 _I can't believe it. I just hope that that girl doesn't suffer the same fate. If that happens..._

"Chifuyu-nee?"

"Hm, a-ah..."

 _Enough._ In any case... time was moving. The world was revolving and something... surely, something would change. And she was prepared for it. Chifuyu will do anything as long as she could protect her little brother, and Tabane knew more than enough in not screwing up when the fated day arrived.

 _So no extra mulling, Chifuyu. Wouldn't it be fun to let her brother befriend a kid of the same age other than Houki? He's been kind of reckless even at the dojo.  
_

With a relaxed, almost laid back smile she stopped showing to everyone excepting special few, the raven-haired girl replied. "I'm back, _Ichika_."

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**  
 **So, so! This is the second chapter! Technically, we're getting closer to the present and, welp, what do ya expect?**  
 **I have been reading this series for a while, and as expected, the first project of IS initiated as a Space Suit. But from the Space Suit to IS, I haven't found any trace that hinted the infamous Missing Link. Maybe I wasn't looking deeper but a Light Novel Series provides less details. Or maybe it's because it hasn't been mentioned yet in canon.  
Hence why the 0.5th-Generation became the connecting chain. To be honest, there's nothing much to say but please give me some thoughts about it. Or should I say... _her?_**


	4. Chapter 3 - End of Tranquility

A day passed, but he stood still in the hangar.

He didn't know why he was there. Idly standing as he gazed at the broken prototype, a unit that could never hope to accomplish it's successor could do. Yes, they shared the same fate. Yes, they knew that they had a fate that was set in stone.

An end. Death. Destruction.

Shinkurou knew that he could die early. If he picked a fight with the wrong guy, it wouldn't be a surprise to find him stuck in a concrete cube and drowned in Tokyo Bay. Just by careless mistake and he would have his heart torn or his head lopped off.

Heck, he heard there was a little girl that died struck by construction steel beams in the news this morning. Dreary it might looked like, the only difference between him and her was that his death remained in an unknown form.

And he projected the thought at the machine before him.

Growing rusty. Weathered by air and climate. Scrapped by the scientists. Dismantled for the pieces that could be salvaged. Or even destroyed completely.

"Regardless, that doesn't mean anything." He said to nobody in particular and shook off the uneasiness nestling within his mind.

As he turned around to walk off the Development Section, he was greeted by a familiar figure.

"Oh, Prof." Shinkurou muttered.

"Hm? Dear me, boy! You're here again?" The old man asked in-between of holding a stack of documents.

The boy nodded, which prompted the man to plant an empty palm at his face.

"Come, boy." The old man urged. "Shirokishi has been shipped to the mainland and there is almost nothing for you to be here."

Nothing...? For some reasons, Shinkurou was offended. There was a unit slumbering to it's designated death and he... just... denied it from existing?

"How can you treat her like that?!" Shinkurou lashed out, surprising the scientist.

"Her...?" He frowned, then looked over the boy's shoulder. More specifically, the glasses he had reflected the silhouette of something.

It was then did he notice, and he glanced at Shinkurou. After a short silence, the boy swore he saw a strange glint beyond the round glasses of the old man's. In fact...

It was that disgusting light he always saw in the eyes of the majority of people living inside this secluded research facility.

"...come here, boy." With a cold and firm voice unfamiliar to Shinkurou, the old man took his hand as he was dragged out of the lab. "Let us talk over a cup of tea."

* * *

The base had many places that seemed unnatural for a military base. There was a hidden balcony shrouded by trees and it served as relaxation spot with a cafe installed.

Obviously, until the Rabbit sent a complaint and twiddled with the entire place.

It soon became a transparent terrace where one could see how the environment changed with every passing season, surrounded with nothing but enhanced thick glass walls and some 'Energy Field' Tabane developed in her snack time for increased security. It seemed to be a new breakthrough to camouflage an entire base from various sensors yet still enabled people inside to be aware of external changes freely.

 _Really, she probably could make a flying fortress and guffaw like a certain boss of villain as she looked down on the earth below._

"...well then... Boy, you were... picked up in the slum, weren't you?" The professor asked as he mixed diet sugar into his tea.

 _Chamomile... huh? Tabane didn't like the taste very much._

"What of it?" Shinkurou asked as he picked up the teacup brimming with clear oak brown color liquid.

The scent of jasmine tickled his nose as he sipped the tea. Courtesy to his acquaintances, he picked a rather odd set of skills in handling himself, including table manner when attending a tea party with members of royalty.

"Mhm. From what you experienced... tell me, what is life to you?" Professor asked. Once he sipped his tea, he placed down the teacup and raised his hands to support his chin.

Shinkurou fixed his gaze to make sure he could 'enjoy' the tea. He didn't like to ruin the mood and he could do nothing but to respect an elder. Though if it were in the slum...

"Life is cheap." Shinkurou answered flatly.

It was probably scary to hear a five years old boy to say such thing but for him, his mind had matured faster than his peers and near-death experiences forced him to adapt. To be capable in tricking the rouges in want of easy ways out was not a choice, but mandatory. He could never take things for granted unless he was sure there was no trap to inconvenience him, and he must fight it out even if his nails were broken if he wanted something.

"With a drop of hat, a bullet can pierce through your head. With a sip of water and you'd have absorbed deadly poison. With a careless inhalation and you'd breathe in flammable chemicals that burned your internal organs." Shinkurou explained. "Other people's lives aren't as important as my own. That's the first rule to live in slums."

"And do you... not find it disturbing? To live like that?"

Shinkurou shrugged. "I live because of my efforts. I do not regret killing my way out and eating filth so as to accomplish my goal."

"Then what is your goal?" Professor asked as he shifted his hand to overlap each other in a different order.

"To survive." Shinkurou answered curtly, no hesitation whatsoever in his word.

It was pure fact. A statement that seemed to say he'd do anything, even burning down a country and slaughtering innocents if he could live for another day.

With a sigh, professor shook his head. "You are young. So incredibly young, wiser than your age, more capable than us prodigies, and yet... you are coldhearted."

"Me...? Coldhearted...?" Shinkurou scoffed. "Well, isn't that a grand compliment then? Without a heart-"

"You wouldn't have survived."

...there was silence. Then... Shinkurou's eyes started to be dyed with red.

"Are you saying I am at wrong, old bat?" Shinkurou asked with venom dripping in his voice.

He knew the implication. He was no idiot. How could he not miss the blade hidden inside those words? And the old man before him spouted such line when what was needed to take him to the graveyard was a cup of tea and a silver spoon.

If he posed a threat, then Shinkurou would eliminate him like he did to the bandits trying to steal his food. And if he had an ace under the sleeve...

 _I'll just dig out everything until he has no further use._

"Do tell me. Do you have any dream, boy? Do you have any aspiration? A life you expected it to be. A life you want to live in. A world only for you to hold."

"I do NOT need dreams. It does not fill my appetite and I cannot expect it to save me from my enemy."

 _If so_ , professor paused. With a hand gesture, the two then gazed at the outside world beyond the thick glass.

"What are those animals to you?" Professor pointed out.

Outside the camouflaged terrace, at the forest floor was a group of small animals. One was a fox, an adult one with glistening orange brown fire and black paws as if it was wearing stocking. Surrounding it were smaller version of the fox. Children, it could be said.

Staring at them frolicking around, Shinkurou answered. "Animals. But nothing more than preys for me."

"Even the children?" Professor asked.

"Even the children." Shinkurou replied.

 _If so_ , professor repeated. The boy was getting irritated by his questions. What was the point anyway?

"If so..." Professor repeated for _the third time_. "...what is the 0.5th-Generation Infinite Stratos to you?"

That...

Was something Shinkurou did not expect. No, it was something he regarded as a possibility but when the question was thrown...

He realized - he had no answer to that.

"Is it not a hunk of machine? Is it not a tool for bloodshed, as you called it before? Is it not a mindless object that is used to flaunt one's ego?" Professor barraged questions after questions. "To you, it's nothing but an oversized device costing terrible sum of money. Yes, the budget has been dried off for it. Yes, we had to work through sleepless nights for it's completion. And yes, no one but women are able to use it."

In fact...

"That is no shorter than the truth. And you... know it, do you not?" He inquired further, putting pressure at the last part of his sentence.

Gnashing his teeth, Shinkurou wondered how could this shitty old man bested him in terms of argument. His silver tongue was coherent, orderly, systematical and yet... and yet, striking chords upon him. Him, who knew that one wrong word could have spelt him detestable suffering or death.

He already had the premonition. No matter how sophisticated technology was, there existed an obvious weakness. A terrible disadvantage that made it unappealing for some people.

And for the IS - it was because it could be used only by women.

IS possessed a Core that synchronized with a chosen pilot, and depending on the synchronicity rate, their capabilities in piloting it changed drastically. What's more, if the synchronicity was high enough to a certain threshold, the possibility of IS optimizing (evolving) into a greater height became much larger than regular expectations. If the technology was mass-produced, clearly, countries would find the strongest candidate with the biggest potential so as to conquer diplomatic fields.

However - IS reacted highly only when they contacted selected women.

They were like unicorns that allowed only the fair and pure maidens to touch their magical horns. Male was rejected by it while female was granted at least the chance of fifty-fifty to pilot it. In a world filled by seven billions of humans, divided into hundreds of countries that had their own agendas as well as selfish egos... A one-sided gender supremacy over military strength would cause collapse of global order. One misstep and World War III might happen.

"...but the world doesn't concern me. So what if it burns down and becoming ash? Regardless of who blocking my path to survive, I will destroy them!" Shinkurou stated.

But the professor scoffed. "And what if the one standing before you is 'that child'? Can you still destroy it?".

The boy glared furiously at him. _Why do you have to mention it? What do you want? Do you have a death wish...?!_

"Alive... your sister thinks they are alive, boy. But then why do we ignore the prototype? Why would we regard it as nothing when it is clearly there like a weeping child in her dark room?" The scientist exhaled. "We had... hopes in her. Expectations that shouldn't have been given to her."

The man sipped his tea. In between the interval, his gaze wavered, the light in his eyes dimmed.

"We wanted her to be the best. The first and the successful, a child that is born blessed by the world. So we created her with zeal we thought we never had after years of dull researches, nurturing her system and even creating an AI that is as advanced as her core." He exhaled. "All efforts were poured... and gone because she couldn't take the burden anymore."

He placed the empty teacup down. With hands clasped together, and with those resolved eyes... the Professor uttered.

"And now, to us... she has no hope to survive. Thus we decided to scrap her once the 1st-Generation IS is publicized."

The boy... upon hearing this statement, widened his eyes. Something trembled inside him, like a glass shuddering before breaking apart. His blood suddenly boiled, his heart felt like it was about to explode.

 _Then everything became a blur of red._

* * *

"Argh...!"

Before he knew it, he was on the ground. The color red fading from his vision, he looked up... and found men in green uniforms. Familiar faces that seemed rigid like a steel, holding guns pointed at him while one old man was being supported with an arm to stand up. Stain of clear reddish turquoise tainted his white coat, and the old man wheezed as he readjusted his glasses.

"Boy..." He called out. "What you feel for her... is the same like what we feel. You saw her incomplete form. Her closed off possibility. Her pleas that she could do no less than her successor."

We... considered that girl as our child, the man said, his eyes were melancholic as he straightened his posture... and began to walk away.

"Life is unfair. But more importantly... there is someone else's life... which is no different than yours. And no less precious than yours." He explained. "And to Tabane Shinonono... Seeing the first child she designed unable to soar in the blue sky is..."

The word... was never registered in Shinkurou's hazy mind. He fell to slumber... and he heard nothing else.

 _What... did she feel...?_

* * *

He woke up back in his room. It was dark but the emergency lights were always on in case darkness shrouded it for security measures.

Slowly getting up, Shinkurou groaned, left knee raised and he placed his left arm over it. His memories were in a blur for some times and when his calm mind replayed everything he experienced...

"...I... feel... what...?" He asked himself, looking at the palms of his hands. "Do I... feel attached? To a machine that is not even alive...?"

He gritted his molar as he slammed a fist onto the wall next to his bed.

"...like hell... Like hell I will feel something."

He didn't need it. He didn't want it. As if he required to use his heart. He'd lie if given the opportunity, prove himself with honed intellect and strength...

But he'd never be attached to others.

Bonds would break. Even the best of a comrade could turn their blade at your back if the circumstance saw it fit. And even families could be at each other's throat. He'd never fall for the same mistake. It costed him his previous life. His everything was robbed in the blink of an eye, and was returned with a sly smile that looked down on his shattered innocence. On the confused him who understood nothing regarding the world and his own position.

"...as if... as if I feel the same like you lots...!" Shinkurou roared, then furiously stomped his way into the shower room.

After a change of clothes and some exercises to vent out his stress, he felt his stomach rumbling. Frowning, the boy briskly left his room, walking through the empty hallway towards the mess hall.

In the way, he passed the silent soldier barracks, he passed by several rooms that had red lights of 'locked' on, and when he was about to arrive at his destination...

*BOOM!*

The heaven fell upon him.

* * *

 _ **-Author's Rambling-**_

 _ **Hello again. To any that thinks the story seemed slow, it's because I don't want to rush it. Last time I threw off my limiter, the work I produced became too messy that I feel bad for the world I created. I don't want to repeat the same mistake but I'm also eager to make the cool part and show it off to everyone. As expected, writing also have withdrawal syndrome. I hope it's only my imagination but I shouldn't be careless.**_

 **Thus, it is one step at a time. It will be. It's going to be. Forever it will be.**

 _ **Anyway, a conflict has begun. A certain character of Season 2 will also appear although judging from canon timeline, I do believe there is a leeway for the power balance since this is around 10 years ago before the series starts. Let's hope nothing goes wrong in the next chapter...**_


	5. Chapter 4 - The Two Failures

"What... the hell...?" Shinkurou muttered as he lied under a debris.

It was through luck and honed reflex that he dove to a corner when the ceiling crumbled by a blast of explosion. Everything went blurry after that but he heard gunshots, scent of blood and smokes filling the base.

The screams and angry shouts didn't stop him from hiding and keeping the look out like a professional hitman. _Although it's not like I never met one before..._

Alarms were blaring as the boy observed under the rubble with a gap enough to crawl out. Who were those black suited people? The regular soldiers couldn't fight them off and he saw a lean one with black hair doing somersaults and wall running like a madman, killing on sight.

"...no matter." Shinkurou said as he erased his presence. "If they didn't see me... Then it's my luck to use."

After the area around the mess hall went deathly quiet, there was nothing else stopping him from leaving the rubble. Patting his black hoodie from dirt, he turned his head to check on the surrounding.

Soldiers in green and black were lying on the ground, blood becoming their death beds. The walls decorated with marks of bullets, and the furniture were wrecked if not flipped aside. He also saw the staffs of the mess hall kicking the buckets.

As Shinkurou walked through the scene of carnage casually, he found out one person was alive. Or... was about to lose his life. It was the chief who always treated him for extra portion for his meals.

"You didn't escape?" The boy asked as he found out the burly man's collapsed figure, a handgun lying beneath his bloody palm..

"Huh...? Strange... I thought I just heard...?" The chief raised his head weakly, then his eyes rounded up.

Shinkurou exhaled and squatted down in front of the dying man who was leaning his back against the counter. It was the place he was stationed at.

"What's going on?" The boy asked without mincing words.

The man smiled wryly. "Ah... terrorists. Probably. Never saw those armaments..."

Shinkurou nodded. If so, something went wrong at the mainland if terrorists attacked an isolated research facility that doubled as a part of a mountain. Anyone attacking a UN facility filled with various people of different nationalities, and still attacking despite this place was upgraded by Tabane...

The enemy was as skillful if not more than his adopted sister. _To even choose the time when she was off..._

"Gh... Gahk!" The chief coughed blood and wheezed.

It looked like he wouldn't last long. At least, not with three holes on his stomach.

Shinkurou found out even the medical supply for emergency was destroyed, and he was sure he would be hindered if he were to carry the chief along with him. The sole way to solve his problem was...

"Have any last word?" The black-haired boy asked as he took the handgun in his hand.

He could see the safety was still on, but the bullets were loaded so the battle probably wasn't long, or that it caught everyone unprepared. _They probably bombed the place for distraction and as a flashy opening._

With that in mind, Shinkurou pulled off the safety and set the gun for semi-auto. Then he slowly stood up and aimed the gun's muzzle at the space between the chief's eyes.

"...kid. You sure know a lot about handling guns..." The dying man commented.

"I killed people before. With or without weapons." The boy said.

The person before him almost glared but his grin was playful. It was the usual expression he had whenever Shinkurou picked the wrong words that seemed like an insult to him.

Yet the boy felt as if something inside of him cracked. Although only for the slightest bit and he quickly shrugged it off as insecurity against unknown threats. _It'd be problematic if they returned back here to check out any survivor._

"Damn... I didn't know there's still some jackasses out there." The chief cursed as if lamenting.

"I don't like those people either. Don't worry, I killed by my own will." Shinkurou responded.

 _Crazy kid_ , the chief mumbled with a rueful smile.

"So? Got anything left to say?" The armed child asked.

As his dark eyes met a pair of blue eyes... ones that indicated the heritage of the man before him, Shinkurou heard a chuckle.

"...kid. You better don't miss. It'll be a pain if my cousin heard your failure." The chief said as if giving out a challenge.

"I see." The boy replied curtly. "Then I better shoot you more than once."

Quickly switching to full-auto, the boy pulled the trigger.

A sound of gunshot rang across the mess hall. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six similar sounds following after, and next came the clinking sounds of empty casings hitting the ground.

Once silence returned, he realized his hand was hurting, his arm was numb, his body hurt. Probably due to the recoil. _Even as a handgun, this one wasn't the correct caliber for me huh?_

He didn't know why he feel as if something was about to burst from his eyes. Eye irritation? Some shrapnel flying into his eyes?

"...hm...?"

Shinkurou spun on his heel before he noticed something warm on his cheek. It was bloodstain. Rubbing the warm liquid off, he sniffed the fabric of his hoodie smelling like gunpowder intermingling with copper.

"Tch. It'll take a long time to wash the smells off." He complained as he scoured the mess hall.

He found a machine gun at first. Probably fully customized to erase any trace to its origin with several fresh cartridges. Plus, there were grenades and flash bangs that could be scavenged with the addition of knaves in case of CQC. If he sold these babies, he'd have months of allowances.

"Still..." He looked up at the burning ceiling.

To be more specific, he gazed at the crumbling roof. For a child like him, to even hope to reach outside by that route was impossible. Also, he deduced the entrance was guarded while the backdoor was being investigated.

It was common strategy in laying siege over a facility. One he was once a part of a year before.

"Then... I better find other routes." Armed and prepared for some bloodshed, the ex-Vagrant passed through the rubble and flames.

Steadily and without fear, heading into the depth of the research facility.

* * *

During the search, he saw many fallen bodies, be it the soldiers guarding the facility or the black suited terrorists. Judging from the trails of blood and surrounding, he pondered and reached a conclusion.

"Not salvaging goods to resupply or rest. Not confirming if the fallen are dead. Typical blitzkrieg tactic." Shinkurou said as he left the northern part and going to the eastern part of the base.

Well, at least he had some turns to act. There were a few soldiers nearing death so he gave them merciful death, and he found a handful terrorists to interrogate before extinguishing their waning torches. Nobody woukd expect a five years old boy was an expert in fighting, torture plus shooting and he didn't hesitate in reaping lives.

 _Death is yet again, another form of salvation,_ the boy quoted in his mind.

As he entered the main hallway leading to the research facility of the base, he realized there was next to no dead body for the enemy side. If so...

"They succeeded in neutralizing the soldiers. Or their aim is something else." Shinkurou muttered as he began to detect faint sounds echoing throughout the hallway.

Holding a combat knife and loaded glock, the boy erased his presence, silencing his footsteps and approaching one room that was the 1st Laboratory. Upon standing next to the opened entrance, he held his breath and focused his hearing.

"Well then... we demand you to hand over the research archives over the project." A voice said, gruff in tone and arrogant in volume.

"Do you honestly believe that we will give you? How conceited for being a talented youth!" Another voice replied but it was... familiar.

 _Professor...?_ Shinkurou took a peek at the interior of the lab. He saw several researchers ties and surrounded by 6 terrorists while one particular man with broad shoulders stood before the boy's acquaintance.

He had no helmet, his weapon strapped to the back, wearing several crude protective gears, and judging from the small earpiece with strange design...

 _Is he the commander of the operation? What kind of idiot is he to remove his headgear after rushing in blindly like that? Freaking amateur...  
_

"Old man... we don't need you all exactly." The man said. "After all, the mighty brain of your team is only Tabane Shinonono. We can just capture her but you should know better she disappeared during the commotion."

 _What? She disappeared?_ Shinkurou almost dropped his knife had his discipline failed him. Fortunately, it didn't so he gulped silently... and held his temperament.

 _Stay calm. Stay calm. Don't make any sound. Make one and I'm deader than dead meat. Remember the last time you got put in as a disposable scout to steal some narcotics?_

"Of course she will. The girl did the right thing else you would have stormed in just to capture her. She's smart unlike you foolish brutes." Professor scoffed, but that earned some bad view by the armed people.

Grabbing the old scientist's collar, the gruff man raised him up in the air and glowered. "Oh really? Then what difference does that make prisoners like you... than us?" He asked.

Shinkurou was about to trespass had he not caught Professor's chuckle. Even though he's a scientist, why did he have to act like a moron in this kind of situation?

"Simple. Although we lost quite a number here... The data has already been erased, and you got yourself in a wild goose chase... 'boy'."

Ah, he tripped the switch.

"You bastard!" The terrorist leader shouted as he flung professor to the wall.

He took out his gun and yelled "Kill them-"

"I found something there."

...only to be interrupted. Shinkurou saw another terrorist exiting the Development Section... and it was a girl.

He couldn't say anything else. While the figure was shorter than him, he couldn't ignore the way she walked and that raven hair for some reasons... She reminded him of Chifuyu.

Her gait showed experience, albeit a little dissonant. Two short swords sheathed behind her back and she wore a mask with odd design for the visor.

"It looked like that white thing that destroyed nuclear missiles." She added.

"Oh? So there is something left." The gruff man said.

"It's a junk. Doesn't work when I touched it." The grl complained.

Even the voice sounded... similar. How could this be? Shinkurou, however, realized where the mysterious girl came out from and dropped a sweat.

 _Something in the Development Section._

"Hm... must be a prototype."

 _Some kind of prototype._

"Heh he... well, well. It seems even the great genius had to deal with a trial from moving to the real deal." A terrorist snickered.

 _Something that slumbered in that lonely dark room._

"Good job, M. Looks like you've got some uses as a newbie, after all. If so... why don't we get ourselves one Infinite Stratos?"

 _"Like hell I will let you steal her."_

Shinkurou stepped in after throwing a flash bang to the crowds.

"Wha-!?"

Then all hell broke loose.

Bright light painted the whole laboratory with pure white and ear-deafening screech. During the time-frame, the boy fired at the terrorist leader's torso and crawling above. Two bullets embedded in his arm which was protecting his face while one pierced through the space between his eyes when the arm jerked in pain.

A simple headshot killed him instantly. _Yep, a fucking amateur._

"You old men can just stay down." Shinkurou said quietly while breaking into a dash.

As the blood sprayed, Shinkurou threw the combat knife he once held. It struck the girl called 'M' at her foot, sealing her movement for moments.

"You...!" A still blinded and partially deaf terrorist yelped before being shot at the sides and thighs.

The boy threw the empty glock at the second one's face and dashed towards him. When the third enemy opened fire at him, he tossed the distracted enemy into the line of fire, transforming him into a swiss cheese while taking out his machine gun behind the impromptu meat shield.

"You can have this at full-auto."

Aiming the weapon larger than what a child could handle, he dodged three bullets aiming to disable his left leg while shooting back at the fourth, fifth and sixth enemies.

"Uwaaagh!?" "Gha...!" "Shi...?!"

Barrages of bullets bounced, some shredded their protective gears and finally killing them as the guns they held were triggered to shoot upward. _What bad reflexes._

"Boy!" Professor suddenly shouted in a bloodcurdling tone.

Shinkurou dropped the gun only to draw out second combat knife with his left hand. Once the blade was raised up, another blade albeit reddish in color clashed against it.

"So you can move already." The ruthless killer said as if assessing the raven-haired girl beyond the orange sparks.

From her mask, it was hard to tell what kind of expression she held but Shinkurou knew way too well that the opponent was pissed off.

"You...! I'll kill you!" The girl who was probably a year younger than him shouted.

"I see... you are probably the same as me." Shinkurou said listlessly.

But... his right arm's bones were broken. Probably, the joints were dislocated because his body couldn't endure the recoil of shooting a machine gun. His muscles too screamed due to the shock of letting loose barrages of bullets.

 _...well, it doesn't matter. I'm used to pain after being drugged at the nerves as a punishment.  
_

"Hmph." Shinkurou swept the girl's legs. She lost her footing and strength in that instance and he shot up his right kneecap towards her solar plexus.

'M' grunted as she received the hit, but Shinkurou realized she used a hand to absorb the damage.

The enemy put her other hand on his thigh and used it as a foundation to somersault above him. Like an experienced acrobatic athlete, he landed at his right side and stabbed his broken arm, causing him to scowl and wince.

 _Aiming for the weak spot... she's taught well._

"But not good enough!" Shinkurou yelled as he gripped M's wrist, forcefully twisting it.

"...!" The girl screamed a voiceless one.

She stepped back to avoid further wound but it was a good enough range for a straight kick to home in.

"Kah...!" M floated before hitting the concrete wall.

 _Time for the kill-_

*BANG!* He heard a gunshot. As if time had stopped, nothing moved until Shinkurou craned down his head. He noticed something warm wetting his side. He touched the reddening jacket to confirm it was a bullet wound.

 _Tch...!_

Turning a glance behind and there he found a terrorist, on his last legs with a handgun falling off his trembling hand. The one he threw into the line of fire... survived. _Fucking roach!_

"..." Shinkurou tore off the combat knife lodged in his right arm and threw it at the dying man's forehead.

 _One living dead dealt with. Next is..._

When he looked back to the last assailant, however... He saw nothing other than drops of blood on the floor while they trailed toward the emergency exit in the lab... which was slightly opened.

"...she escaped, huh?" Shinkurou asked nobody in particular. "A good choice."

He nodded down, only to stagger and fall into the arms of a person.

"Boy! You're wounded!" Professor shouted in panic.

 _That light again..._

"...I'm fine. Used to this." Shinkurou pushed away the hands and dragged himself to the Development Section.

Besides... even the medical facility was busted up. He didn't have any chance to find for some help when the base was already isolated from the mainland. What-with the successful assault that completely froze the base's general functions.

 _There's no way I can be saved if the blood isn't stopped..._

"Where are you..."

"She's the target huh...? Does that mean Tabane failed?"

The boy's question earned him silence. He waited, waited and...

"The world didn't approve it. Those old politicians thought IS as a great threat, and a mysterious hacker just have to fire all nuclear missiles the world has on Japan." Professor explained with a disappointed sigh following after.

Shinkurou didn't respond. _So it really turned out into a crisis._

"But - Shirokishi neutralized the missiles... and pulled the smokes by flying across the world. I heard she destroyed fighters, aircraft carriers and other things that pursued her before disappearing like Tabane did." Professor continued as he started following Shinkurou.

 _...that meant it was orchestrated._ Shinkurou wondered why did Tabane provoked the world but if a single unit of IS destroyed nuclear missiles with ease...

Then the current military strength was far too obsolete to compare with Infinite Stratos.

"I see..." Shinkurou muttered with heavy breath.

As he stood in front of the one he protected, the machine that could never become an IS... he recalled what it was.

ASN-CRW 000 - the 0.5th-generation Infinite Stratos.

"...I believe... Infinite Stratos will become the main military strength of all countries." Professor assumed.

"...why?" Shinkurou asked with bated breath.

"Because it can. An IS unit has outclassed the world, making mockery over even America's greatest gun. It won't be long before the first-world countries demanded for a fair share of the project to rebuild their military assets."

...in other words...

"The world... will change..."

"But not for her."

Shinkurou coughed blood as he staggered and fell to one knee.

"Boy!" Professor yelled but was denied with a hand gesture.

"...Professor..." The boy muttered. "...can... I... have this one...?"

The scientist was speechless. Even though the two knew that Infinite Stratos... the miraculous war machine was something that could only be piloted by women, the boy still demanded for one. He gritted his teeth as he released his hand from his bleeding side... and touched the Prototype's wing.

"...she... deserves something. For her birth..."

He didn't know why his vision was blurry.

"She's not... a failure..."

He didn't know why he felt hard to breathe.

"She... she means... something..."

He didn't know why he said all this nonsense.

To him. To Shinkurou Shinonono...

"...she has the right to fly..."

And then the world became pure black.

* * *

When he opened his eyes... he saw gray sky.

Cloudy. Raining. All it ever did was crying and creating a shallow lake that seemed to ripple every time he moved his limbs.

But... he was calm. Peaceful. I wonder why am I feeling calm under the rain...?

He asked nobody in particular. In return... he saw a shadow wiggling at the corner of his vision. He tiredly rolled his eye.

There... he found her.

A small girl with hair colored like soot. Dressed in black tattered one-piece cloth. The girl was emotionless and her... clear vermillion eyes were crying. Maybe.

He assumed it was his imagination. It's raining so... Well, you know the drill.

"...hey." The boy greeted. For some odd reasons, feeling as if it was the right thing to do.

"..." Yet the girl was silent. Her teeth chattering and her shoulders shivered, while her eyes seemed to twitch.

Afraid. Scared. Frightened.

"...come here." The boy stated as he got up, and patted the spot next to him.

The girl didn't react. So the boy sighed and stood up.

He was... slightly taller than her. They both exchanged their gazes in silence.

"...why are you here?" The boy asked.

"...I..." The girl finally replied, but unable to finish her word.

She turned around, wanting to run away but the boy held her hand. "Wait." He said.

"...I won't abandon you." The boy muttered unknowingly.

He didn't know who the girl was. He didn't understand why he said such things.

"I won't leave you alone." He said, then he pulled the girl to face him, and he circled his arms around her back.

Tightly. As if not wanting to release her.

"It's okay." The boy said as he patted the girl's head. "It's okay."

He caressed her, holding her in his arms as he felt his shoulders slowly being tugged... and gripped. The girl buried her head as her fragile defense shattered... and she trembled before breaking down.

Weeping in his cradle.

"It's okay..." The boy repeated. "You did nothing wrong. You're fine as is."

 _So, it's okay now._

"Hey... what do you want to do?"

 _You can do it._

"I'm sure you want something."

 _You can believe in yourself._

"I'll help out."

 _You can have pride in yourself._

"So don't worry..."

 _Because you and I... We're the same at the very core.  
_

 _Because we are just a [Failure]._

* * *

 ** _-Author's Rambling-_**

 ** _You know, it's pretty obvious who was that. So now, we're very, VERY sure who will pester our little Vagrant, and she's probably hell bent on killing him the same way she wanted to end a certain someone. Got nothing to say other than this:_**

 ** _Well... you just screwed yourself, kid. Oh look, there's your psychopathic stalker!_**


	6. Chapter 5 - A Decade-Long Complaint

_It was tiring..._

"Ugh. Can't a guy have some break for a while?" A boy with black hair and brown eyes groaned as he walked like a living dead.

Not that Ichika Orimura has any right to complain. After the last fiasco, the 'World Purge' incident happened...

He couldn't see his friends on the eyes anymore, while they couldn't see him in the same way. Probably mad and set him as the one to blame for.

That sounded unfair to him as of lately.

 _I mean, seriously? How could they just delude themselves and used him as some sort of cheap, dirty model for wet dreams?!_ The 1st Male IS Pilot threw his hands up in the air.

Fortunately, his first childhood friend seemed to have a decent view on him. He couldn't help but to worry being dragged as a sparring partner every day but that meant Houki respected his standing and boundary. _She must have treated me as a fellow Warrior..._

And he couldn't deny he was honored. What kind of man wouldn't be happy to be called as a Warrior by the winner of international kendo championship? Houki was technically the strongest in swordsmanship around her peers.

"Still... why are the others having delusions of me like that...?" The ultimate dense boy on earth wondered, then scratched his hurting head. "Hmh... it's true that I intruded into their personal space."

To anyone that knew him, they would have sighed at how Ichika started to go on the thought of apologizing. The boy did wonder and asked why would they do that but all they ever replied, including his older sister was something in line with 'You don't understand at all...' or 'Nothing.'

"...oh, right. Now that I think about it..." Ichika paused in the empty hallway. "It's going to be _That Day_ again..."

He looked outside the window, at the clear blue sky.

Ten years ago... there was a global incident. A mysterious hacker attacked and shot all the nuclear missiles the world had at Japan.

In that ensuing chaos, a mysterious IS unit - later named as White Knight neutralized the missiles in an instance. With such overpowering demonstration, many nations tried to hunt it down only to lose badly. Shortly after, the Alaskan Treaty which banned IS from military usages was created and world peace was regained...

Or so Ichika thought. He remembered the incidents that happened till one year ago and to be honest? He was sure as hell that horrible things still happened in the other side of the world. He just wasn't aware of the bigger picture.

"I need to be strong." The boy clenched his fist with a determined gaze. Completely psyched up once again.

He swore to protect those he cared, so as if he'd lay down after so many defeats. Heck, he improved lately and forced a draw against Houki and Rin so his growth rate might be a late-bloomer type. Also, the special training with everyone truly helped him a lot.

"Although I still can't grasp what Houki meant ..." Ichika scratched his cheek with a wry smile.

Three days from now was the day that marked White Knight Incident, followed by Alaskan Treaty day and a grand, delightful sunday. The city was going to enter festive mood considering it'd be the First Tenth Anniversary. Plus, Ichika wanted to rest for at least three days and have fun like a normal teenage boy rather than dealing with incidents.

"Ichika...! Come back here, you...!"

 _Yikes! How did they find me so soon?!_

* * *

Somewhere else, a certain teacher with a signature clipboard was fuming. Her long raven-black hair fluttered as she spun on her heels - and glared at a feebly smiling green haired teacher.

"Teacher Yamada..." Chifuyu Orimura started with a low growl. "Would you care to have a round of sparring session?"

The glasses lady yelped in fright. "T-thank you for the offer but I already have an appointment!"

Glaring, Chifuyu soon exhaled and rubbed the bridge of her nose. _How could I be surrounded by so many fools yet remained sane until now?_

"Very well then." She said, forgetting all the unconscious teasing done by her colleague at work.

Whenever the teachers started to have an evaluation session, comparisons and critiques always flew. In fact, it'd be a wrong thing for the teachers to neglect their own students' weaknesses and simply playing favorites.

It was then that Maya Yamada ran her mouth off as she pointed out how (extremely) detailed Chifuyu's critiques about her younger sibling's performance. Again.

"While that idiot certainly have improved... He's still far too easy to read." Chifuyu stated. "Likewise, none of the Representatives Candidates have the competence to earn the seat for Mondo Grosso yet. At least not with their half-baked skills."

Maya laughed sheepishly as Chifuyu grunted at the end of her assessment.

"B-But... Orimura certainly has become stronger. I mean... he forced ties with most of the RCs from his year... and he even won against Phan-"

"Teacher Yamada, do you wish for a coffee?"

Maya nearly tripped as she was shoved with a cupful of hot coffee. The steams floated and yet the acidic scent seemed... off?

The klutzy teacher stared at Chifuyu with appalled face, while the raven-haired woman was grinning sadistically with eyes that seemed to curse 'Diz coffee iz a lie!'

Unfortunately, the last straw had been drawn. It was obvious that sensitive topic was sensitive... and no idiot should say it out loud in public.

"Uh... Eh... Al, alright... Thank you for the... coffee..." Maya admitted defeat in raw sorrow as she held the warm paper cup.

Chifuyu crossed her arms and snorted in victory. Ignoring her drinking partner's agony, she turned her eyes to check the calendar. In about several days, the school would be closed down for the international holidays combined with a weekend.

This called for blissful short vacation to students of her class, and those girls might be furiously scheming in how to get closer to her younger sibling.

"Hmph. Kids these days..." Chifuyu grumbled in displeasure. She almost wondered if all they had in minds were the boy and nothing else like how to improve themselves.

At this rate, she'd be forced to teach them some more manners but she'd prefer not to spoil them. Chifuyu knew far too well that giving praises too much would lead to a bankrupt personality, and scolding too much would cause inverse growth. So what was better than having the consciousness to reflect on oneself?

As Chifuyu's mind began to wander, she heard a coughing fit. Turning around, Maya had just finished the... special blend coffee and her complexion looked purple at one simple glance.

 _Oh. To think she'd go through it... my image of you has been renewed, Maya._

Unfortunately, the yellow-blouse wearing woman didn't catch her appraisal. "...uh... setting aside the students... It's going to be the Tenth Anniversary... What will you do during that day, Ms. Orimura...?"

"Hm? I..." Chifuyu paused as she realized something. "...I already have a business to attend to that day."

Maya seemed not to expect this. At least, her mind didn't wander off to 'Eh? Aren't you going back home to spend time with Ichika-kun again?' this time.

Even That Annoying Rabbit showed the same face. Chifuyu felt offended but...

There was a special reason for her to go out that day. And she didn't mind nobody noticed what she did, save for one genius birdbrain.

"Now that I think about it... What is she going to do this year?"

Looking at the sky outside the windows, the old friend of the rabbit mumbled by herself.

* * *

"Tabane-sama, here's your tea and croissant." A girl with silver hair trimmed neatly said, handing a tray with snacks for her Mistre - _err, Mother._

Truly,.it was uncomfortable to call her benefactor as that. She felt she had overstepped her boundary but the ball of energy with mechanical bunny ears jumped in delight.

"Waaaiiii~! Thanks so much, Kuu-chan!" Tabane Shinonono said as she jumped off her carrot pod, which she called as lab, then grabbing a croissant and chewed it on the spot.

Chloe Chronicle did not miss the oddity in her attitude. It was only slightly at best but she was certain her mother was never this sensitive.

It took 0.01 second for her rabbit ears to stand up after all. _She is tense...?_

"Tabane-sama." Chloe called out, only to realize the stiffness in Tabane's gaze. Even though she was unable to see, the feeling of being stared at intently was apparent for all living being. She halted and cleared her throat. "Mo...ther. What... are you working on?"

"Eheheee...! Kuu-chan, do you want to know what mommy's doing?"

Kh. It's hard to talk like this as always.

"I... do." Chloe answered, her defense crumbling as a light shade of red tinted her cheeks. After saying that, Tabane puffed her chest and straightened her back.

"Fufun...! It's a~ Secret!"

 _Huh?_

"Even for Kuu-chan, mommy can't answer it out loud. It won't be a surprise after all." Tabane explained further, much to the Biological IS' dismay.

"...a surprise?" Chloe pondered. Her birthday had long passed so for what reason...?

"Yeppie yep! Anyway, mommy is going to resume her work or she'll be late for the surprise!" The Genius bounced as her mechanical rabbit ears perked up and down with infinite enthusiasms.

Once she finished her snacks and tea and wiping her lips with handkerchief, the woman jumped back into the carrot pod and tuned out herself from the world.

Chloe exhaled quietly, wondering what she was up to but this time, she at least understood it was related to her. At least, possibly since Tabane was at the highest zeal. It took little observation to see the quality and swiftness of her performance.

It was almost bordering inhuman, in fact. But Chloe could curse herself a thousand times over if she let that thought staying in her mind.

When she finally cleansed her impure thoughts, a beeping sound came from the carrot pod. It was... Some kind of foreign sound the blind girl ever heard. She furrowed her brows for the slightest moment-

"A-ha! Now lookie here! I've got you now, _Ro-kun_ _!_ " Tabane shouted like a hunter finding her most prized prey caught in trap.

In the next moment, the carrot pod closed tight, the floor beneath it split open to give path for a railway that extended toward the wall in front of it. Once the railway reached it, the wall too divided, revealing a passage where the scent of wind could be traced.

All the information, starting from the vibration traveling through the concrete, the sounds of magnets scrapping each other to create energy, the echoes of roaring rocket engine as well as the far away scent of unfiltered, raw fresh air told Chloe Chronicle only one possibility.

 _Th-the mass driver gateway!?_

"T-Tabane-sama...?! What are you...!"

An excited, thrilled but almost agitated giggles came from the pod's external speaker.

[Kuu-chan, mommy is going to be back a little later than usual! Don't forget to lock the doors, kay?!]

And then the most wanted person in the world launched out of the secret base into the outside world. Riding a metal carrot pod, of course.

* * *

It was far... Far better to sleep rather than barely hanging on being conscious of the surrounding.

 _Tired. So sleepy... Cold. I wanted to rest._

Hearing something like statics in the ear, there seemed to be complication with the communication device. The link between the mind and the Core was hazy at best so...

"...I'm stuck here all alone, huh...?"

It was hard to even open one's eyes. From beneath the rubble, nothing could be seen and if there was, it was something akin to a sliver of light seen from the bottom of a well.

 _Ah... so far... and small._

Nobody would expect to be buried alive like this. It was only a boring day where one could rest. A special international holiday where everyone approved festivity with joyous mood - and it was ruined with full arsenal outclassing naval battleship's by multiple folds.

 _Freaking bitch... She just barged into the base and duked it out as if it was nothing. That cocky little minx...!_

"Why the hell... am I dying like this _again...?_ " A groan escaped, loathsome also irritated at best. "...really, this is just the best day for everyone to pull a bullshit on me huh...?"

 _If anything, I'd have wanted to have a full day for sleep first before all this. Ah, now I'm complaining like a third-rate goon..._

"...Whatever. If it ends, then..."

As the eyelids grew heavier by moments, there was the faint sounds of cluttering.

Something moved. Something alerted him, forcing him to stay awake. With half of the consciousness buried, the small light seen above started to expand.

One after another, a stream of light poured down. The darkness that covered the entire world being erased with every flitting movement of a shadow.

 _I swore... I saw something like rabbit ears. What was th..._

"...oh, shit... Looks like 'she' is here huh...?" With a tired wondering leaving the bloodied mouth...

 _"Ro-kun! There you are!"_

And a bunny appeared within the tirade of light.

His vision slowly readjusting, colors flooded back under his sensory control. His worn out body was pressed by something soft, although it further worsened his broken bones plus damaged organs...

His heartbeat resonated with someone else's. Something he recognized. The familiar sound that jogged his memories even though he wished he didn't recall it. _And it was so warm that he felt something breaking inside of him._

Staring at a mop of long, silky smooth purple hair, he could discern her figure. A womanly figure dressed in light blue dress with fancy frills and white ribbons. It was someone he knew, and she was hugging him with tear-stricken eyes. _An expression I have never seen from her out of all people._

For once, he wondered. _Is this fine? What are you crying for? I thought you'd send me to the operation table just to punish me._

But... nothing came out. There was nothing that could be said, other than a simple grunt, and...

"...Taba...ne... It... hurts..." Shinkurou Shinonono complained.


	7. Chapter 6 - At the Rabbit's Lair

_"You know... this is getting tiresome. Can't we do something about it?"_

 _The boy looked up, catching a hiss coming from a girl no younger than him if not a year less. On the couch, with air smelling like gunpowder, his hand was holding the wrist of a hand that gripped a butterfly knife aiming for his eye socket._

If only the circumstance was more civilized, I'd have enjoyed this situation.

 _Because... being pinned down, at near-zero proximity with a dangerous girl that had predatory gaze, added by her straddling his thigh was actually quite an exquisite experience._

 _"Only if you die first!" The girl with a black visor covering her upper part of face shouted, the bladed weapon inching closer through sheer efforts and willpower._

 _Rather than willpower, it was more like obsession. How is she so strong with those skinny features?_

 _The boy sighed, setting aside the one million dollar question aside. This counted as the 153rd assassination attempt, and it was a little faster than usual._

 _"Someone's in a terrible mood huh? Did you land under poor employer again? Or did you lose again?" He asked, only to be glared fiercely._

...bingo. Gee, why did I run my mouth off?

 _"M... I know you're kind of unstable when it come to certain things, but will it kill you to talk it out rather than duking it out?"_

 _Obviously, the complain was given out since they had crossed paths in such manner for years. Starting from ten years ago, he met her almost too frequently during his grand escapade fom various syndicates in want of his cargo._

 _Ironically, his frequent encounter brought them to an even ground where regardless of the method, they'd understand what one side thought. It was like a curse latching onto you just because of physical contact._

 _Combining that with the recent piece of news..._

 _"You getting screwed up that badly is certainly a sight to behold. Was it really hard?"_

 _"Shut up...! Just die already!"_

 _"...at least you kind of roughed them all up. And you were up against a whole bunch of personal IS pilots so..."_

 _"Shut up!"_

 _A vein popped up, and the boy's eyebrows twitched after knitting together._

Okay... I can't reason with her. I can't say anything. I have to stay calm or things will get down the drain...

 _"...M, get off me." The boy said in cold tone._

 _"No." The girl rebuked curtly._

 _"...I'll let you hit me once but get off me after that." He persuaded._

 _"No if you don't die." And the assassin refused, a flash of light covered her._

 _He winced as he knew that sign. The fading light unraveled a mechanical figure reminiscent of a butterfly. A unit that was said to be the successor of a British_ IS.

 _"I haven't maintained my unit." The boy came up with an excuse as last resort. "It won't be funny if it explodes in your face."_

 _In response... the girl smiled wide. It was twisted yet innocent at once. Laying bare her obsessive desire and murderous intent, it was a smile that truly, truly enjoyed whenever there was a chance for torturing the weak._

 _"Then you can die for all I care about, Shinkurou."_

 _The hand covered with steel gauntlet outdid him. The blade was swung down - and the boy jumped off her grasp with brute forces alone, leaving the couch cut in two like slices of a cake._

 _Landing on his feet, he stood up, patting his ruffled black hoodie. In front of him was the long muzzle of an energy rifle that was an improvement of the model Starlight Mk. II. Light gathering and shining from within it._

...you know what? Screw it all.

 _"Don't blame me if this building collapsed alongside you, M." Shinkurou stated as he threw his arm to the side._

 _Shortly after, the building did collapsed._

* * *

 _...as I thought, I jinxed myself back there huh?_

Groaning, he got up, blinking as the blaring light of neon lamp attacked his sight. He looked away with a scowl at it but - another surge of pain stopped him.

"Gh... darn..." He mumbled as he chose to close his eyes for damage mitigation.

Unfortunately, it didn't work really well. With his entire body nearly immovable, languid and hurting, as if he could escape from the light. _This really sucks... and why does it feel as if I'm submerged halfway under water?_

"At ease, Shinkurou-sama. Your wounds will worsen." A cool yet soft advise entered his ears.

He frowned. It wasn't Her voice... nor was it his eternal worst enemy. Among many people he came across to, nobody sounded like this. The tone was just so soft and delicate that he questioned who said that. _Could it be...?_

"Your heartbeat accelerated. Are you worried? Shinkurou-sama, you were carried to Tabane-sama's lab. You are safe here."

 _...well, that explained a lot._ Still, he wished he knew who the speaker was. And so... opening his eyelids bits by bits...

"Who... are you...?"

The boy's unfocused gaze caught the figure of someone. It was more like a silhouette but he couldn't miss the scent of flower, the long wave of hair and the thin body. _A little girl...?_

"Pleased to meet you," The girl bowed with a curtsy. "My name is Chloe Chronicle. I am Tabane-sama's personal assistant."

 _Assistant... that's new._ Shinkurou wondered how and where did that freak pick her up but considering who he was dealing with... Well, the usual 'you're interesting!' answer was his best shot.

In any case, feeling the need to know more, the boy asked. "How long... was I out?"

"A day has not even passed after you are under treatment, Shinkurou-sama. Although your state back there... must I say, unexpected for you to still breathing?"

That was delivered more like a question if anything. While anyone would have not remembered it, it seemed this little one had a tough mental fortitude. _Just... perfect..._

"Yeah... I'm kind of like a scavenger. My toughness is my only pride." Shinkurou said simply.

However, as his vision blurred and he winced, he found the silhouette growing larger. No, it was approaching... and his sensory sense finally turned back to normal.

He saw silver strands of hair. Porcelain white skin. A dress that seemed to make the impression of a bisque doll. And closed eyes that looked to not budge at all.

Chloe Chronicle opened her rosebud lips for a few moments before words followed after the gesture. "...how queer."

 _What is?_ Shinkurou wondered, his eyes latched on the girl that was probably several years younger than him. But that thought was soon drowned as the girl continued on.

"Shinkurou-sama, I was told that you cared not of pride whatsoever as long as your goal is achieved." Chloe commented. "But it seemed that information is wrong."

"...that is an insult to everyone who grows up. People change, regardless of their wills through time and events." Shinkurou gave a deadpan look.

"And you have taken up more humanity indeed. Time is such a mysterious thing, don't you think?" Chloe tilted her head, her expression remained static.

 _You tell me that now,_ he sighed after throwing his two cents. He didn't miss the ghost of a smile on her face. Elation, he surmised as he looked away with a scowl.

 _I don't like this girl... it's like she's peering into my soul._

"...Shinkurou-sama."

"What?"

"This may be sudden, but..."

The long paused prompted him to look back at the little girl. Chloe was putting a finger on her cheek, wondering aloud with a hum.

"Since you were put in the nanomachine medical bed, would you like to have a change of clothes?" The doll-like girl suggested.

 _...huh?_ Shinkurou's mind blanked out at the unexpected offer. His head mechanically lowered as if the joint had gone rusty and...

For the first time in life, he was glad that a blind person was blind. _Otherwise, it'd have been awkward as hell!_

* * *

"Haa... as ridiculous as ever." Shinkurou looked up, checking the place he was in.

The room was a rectangle one, with dull grey steel plating conquering the ceiling, the walls and the floor. Strewn across the room was various gizmos from something like a metal box looking like cupboards and a coffin filled with light blue gel that was shining dimly.

Staring at a trash bin overflowing with bloodied bandages, syringes, medication cases and some other assortment, the boy realized he was indeed put onto the operation table this time. _Huh, maybe it's a given I didn't remember any of it._

Still, he could barely stand up straight and at his side was a certain bisque doll.

"...there's no need to help me." Shinkurou stated to the girl that was linking her arms around his.

"I'm afraid I cannot comply. Shinkurou-sama, you are Tabane-sama's relative. I will not allow you to be reckless after all that." Chloe curtly replied, her bluntness withstanding his annoyed hiss.

 _Suit yourself,_ Shinkurou said as he dragged his feet outside the medical ward and into a two-way junction.

"Would you like to meet Tabane-sama?" The sole companion he met after reawakening asked.

"Is she here?" He wondered aloud, getting uncomfortable by the duration of contact he was having with her.

The girl nodded once. "She is, but Tabane-sama has been on her own to... repair your machine, Shinkurou-sama."

 _Repair..._ Shinkurou blinked. Looking at his own body, there was no discomfort at all and ignoring this hospitalized patient's green clothes, he failed to feel any 'feedback' at all.

 _...it can't be, right...? She said she failed for That One so as if she can fix her up again._

"Shinkurou-sama?"

"...no." Shinkurou refused. "Nothing. I'm thirsty for now. Is there any place to sit down and drink something cold?"

It took a moment for Chloe to answer his question.

"There is one near the hangar. It is slightly far though..."

"I'm fine. Just get me there already."

 _Understood,_ the girl acknowledged, guiding Shinkurou through the base. It was done in a slow pace and Chloe kept up with him perfectly.

It was almost too much, how she cared for his condition. She even asked 'would you like to take a break?' once in a while, even suggesting to use her own cane.

 _Well, I don't even know from where she pulled it out of but I don't need it._

"Here it is."

After an agonizing set of thirty minutes, the two stumbled upon a wide hallway. Above were railings with cranes to drop something, below were crates and various machines scattered around. There were also railways with a suspicious humongous carrot, stationed as if it was a monument right in the smack of the so-called hangar.

The only saving grace here was only a round table with tea sets and snacks on it in a rather clean spot. Plus luxuriously elegant chairs.

"...so her bad habit isn't cured yet." Shinkurou muttered with a deep frown.

"My apology if this does not accommodate to your taste, Shinkurou-sama..." Chloe gestured with a slight bow.

"It's fine. I'm not one to care either." He replied and walked to one of the two empty seats.

Once he settled down, a large empty air was breathed out from his lungs. _Damn, how could walking be so exhausting...?_

"Here is your drink. Is Royal Milk Tea alright with you?"

"Whatever is fine."

He received a teacup filled to the brim with brownish orange liquid mixing with white of milk. Staring at it and inhaling it's scent, he nodded down. Looks like it's not poisoned.

"Shinkurou-sama, I assure you I will never harm you even if it's to save my life." Chloe quipped as if reading his mind.

Narrowing his gaze, he observed the girl that was still holding the porcelain teapot. She didn't react to his gaze, and her expression was hard to understand.

He wondered why something felt off with her. It caused him to stay alert even though judging from her appearance and physical strength, she was nothing like a threat at all. No, on the contrary...

 _It's as if she's a robot._ It felt like she had a part resembling something 'nonhuman' attached on her.

"I'm not interested in your opinion." Shinkurou huffed as he began sipping the tea. "Your loyalty is not supposed to be pledged on someone like me."

 _Hm...? This is... pretty balanced._

"You are Tabane-sama's brother. In another words, you are also my relative."

 _"...excuse me?"_

Blinking repeatedly, Shinkurou's just refreshed brain was at full throttle, processing memories and rewinding the earlier conversation as if intending to find a needle in the haystacks. That course of action obviously made it crashed then rebooted. Rinse and repeat.

 _Wait, what... hold on. Another relative? But why is she here? Or rather, what kind of relative? What is..._

"...wait a sec." The boy raised a hand to make a stop sign.

Pressing a finger at the temple of his head, he groaned as he tried to calm down his melting mind.

 _Something... something is wrong... There's something I missed. Definitely. This girl is... a relative? Could it be another sibling? But Tabane never brought her up in past conversations. So..._

"...Chloe. Who are you?"

That question was conveyed with a huge intention to know, even if the one that questioned was still bewildered.

Yet, never being unfazed by anything so far, the girl before him placed a hand on her chest.

"I was adopted recently by Tabane-sama. If I were to summarize it - _I am her daughter._ "

 _..._

 _..._

 _...you know what...?_ _I'm grateful I haven't drunk the tea for the second time._

"...I... see..." Shinkurou rubbed his forehead quite slowly and thoroughly. His expression was difficult to interpret. "Daughter... so I'm a 17-years old uncle...? _You've gotta be kidding me..._ "

"It is the truth."

 _Shut up, you bisque doll...! Nobody asked for your afterthought!_

Exhaling, Shinkurou settled back. Taking a deep breath, he exasperated quietly, spine straightened as he decided to wash his throat with the special blend tea usually reserved for royalty.

 _Siippp... and... okay, my mind is rese-_

"GOOD MORNING RO-KUUUUUUUUUUUNNN!"

 _"Bffht!?"_

He spat out for sure this time, his poor niece taking the full brunt of the spraying milky white liquid(?) on the face.

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 _ **"I'm sorry, that ending wasn't something I thought up seriously."**_

 **...somehow, I felt like throwing a case of insanity since we're dealing with the most eccentric person in IS universe. I mean, Tabane literally could go from happy-go-lucky to mysteriously serene to chaotically smart in the oddest moments. Hell, her appearing in front of the Phantom Task in the anime destroyed the dangerous mood to 'Oh, boy, here we go again...' in one single frame.**

 **And I won't comment on the hate-hate relationship between our MC with a certain Operative Agent. Also, Chloe becoming increasingly attached is mainly because a reason yet to be explained. Rejoice, for I do not intend to build incest. Far too many stories about it are out there and reading too much of it caused me to cringe unconditionally. At least normal pairing(s) can occur so pick your choice before I arbitrarily decided my own OTP!**

 **Next updates will be kept at two chapters every week! Probably around wednesday and sunday so stay tuned~**


	8. Chapter 7 - Another Past Acquaintance

"Goddamn it Tabane! What in the bloody hell was that for?!"

Shinkurou pointed at the rabbit who was smiling deviously. Heck, she was sticking her tongue out and that meant one thing:

 _A premeditated crime!_

"Te-hee! It's not fair if Kuu-chan monopolize Ro-kun all the time so I want to join in!" Tabane announced her motive.

Which turned to be something stupid again. _This... freaking... annoying bunny!_

"You want me to squash those ears?!" Shinkurou threatened.

Tabane stepped back as she covered her mechanical ears. "Hey! These are the most prized invention Tabane the Genius ever made! Even Ro-kun isn't allowed to touch them!"

 _Like! I! Give! A! Damn! Hell if I care!_

"Um..."

What!? Shinkurou and Tabane whipped their heads... only to see one particular Chloe Chronicle raising her hand up.

In Tabane's eyes, there was her beloved daughter wanting to say something, which was extremely rare as she almost never tried to interrupt talks.

While in Shinkurou's eyes...

There was nothing but a little girl with her dress, body and hair soaked wet by white stuff. A web of slightly transparent white stains covering her crown, face and nape of neck, also her fingers. No matter how expressionless she was, the girl's cheeks were also tinted red, probably feeling her soaked dress sticking onto her skins beneath it and in the audience of her relatives.

It didn't help that her nonchalance to not cover herself with something like her arms made her a lot, lot more lewd that it could be classified as a crime. _Oh, wait, so many sexual innuendos abound..._

Unfortunately, as a teenager at the peak of puberty, it was obvious her current appearance would attract unwanted attention. Particularly from Shinkurou for he quickly looked away, chewing the inside of his mouth as he suppressed his carnal drive.

 _Think a bit, will you!? She's a fucking relative! A niece, even if she's unrelated by blood. She's not even legal!_

"May I... change my clothes?"

*SNAP!* A camera shutter flashing drew Shinkurou's attention. Looking at a certain Mad Scientist, she was drooling, her eyes casting dreamy gaze and...

 _Is that a camera? But it's so small... and it had some kind of blitz apparatus—_ *SNAP SNAP!*

"You...! What the hell's wrong with your head!?"

"Mufufufuuu...! This counts for a good addition to Kuu-chan's family memoirs!"

 _Graaaaaahhh! Is there no sane person here!? What in the name of the almighty god is the place I was taken to!? A friggin' wonderland?!  
_

* * *

"I swear... you never changed at all."

Shinkurou commented while rubbing his forehead. It was already too much to take in Tabane's eccentricity and she looked at him as if he dirtied her precious daughter when he shooed her away to deal with her predicament.

"Hmhmm... Ro-kun, you grew up a lot!" Tabane assessed with hands thrown up to the air.

The boy easily dodged the lunge she launched in the next step. All the pains, paralysis and exhaustion weren't registered in his mind after the latest fiasco.

"Zip it. And you look no different that I'm doubting you're a human at all." Shinkurou gave a deadpan gaze.

The rabbit groaned 'so cruel...!' But she stood back up in no time. Turning around and slightly leaning her upper body forward, Tabane was all smiling.

"But it's really good you survived! It was a close-call since the machine was welded on you due to the pressures from the rubble."

"I'm more surprised you only pulled me out but not others as well."

"Huh? Why would I do that?"

Tabane tilted her head cutely, causing Shinkurou to exasperate. _Right, this woman is like this after all._

In her eyes, humanity was nothing at all. Having no desire to join with the masses, no logic to abide to the rules and common senses, and no reasoning with them even if the world was hunting her down.

It was a common disease for all the eccentrics out there, and Tabane had it more severe since she categorized 'people' as those reigning at the top of her interests. Added with that Bisque Doll, her circle of friends and family consisted only by Houki, the Orimura siblings, and him.

Although he never cared about the building's other occupants either. It was just a rundown apartment operating in the shady back alley anyway.

"...no, nothing at all. In any case, you pried off That Thing of me huh?" The boy stared at the empty air diagonally above him.

Tabane nodded excitedly. "Yeppie yep! I can't believe Ro-kun picked it up even though it's a failure! And it's active for ten years with almost no break in-between each activation!"

 _Right... it can't be helped that I had to haul my asses off so as not to die in daily basis._

"But..." Tabane paused, her tone lowering for the first time in his audience. "Why did you keep it, Ro-kun?"

"...what do you mean?" He asked, increasingly aware of the topic.

Putting a finger at the edge of her lips, Tabane was humming as if she lacked the words to transmit out. While it was nothing but a simple trivial action, Shinkurou recognized the inquisitive gaze she held.

"Ro-kun, you can't possibly use it to maximize your potentials. It's far too inadequate for someone like you, and it's way too dangerous."

 _...that, huh... I thought it was going to be something else._

Relaxing his stiff shoulders stealthily, Shinkurou heaved. "The best option is only That alone. I'm used to pressure anyway."

 _Even so_ , Tabane remarked. Her usual purple eyes showing something rarely seen. It was a light like no other, a gaze that conveyed her feelings strongly.

 _Worry. This woman's worried._

"...Tabane, I'm fine with it. Besides, you already know most of it anyway." Shinkurou stated, feeling resignation after being directed with such gaze.

The Genius nodded slowly. _This... really isn't something I want to deal with._

He could just ignore her. It was something he always did to other people. She's almost no different than stranger to him now that ten years had passed...

 _Ah, freaking hell. I'll be damned out of karmic retribution for sure soon._

"Look," Shinkurou raised his volume. Leaving his seat and standing at an arm's reach in front of Tabane, he raised his hand and patted her head. "I'm still alive. Whatever things I am burdened with is because I picked my own choice."

 _You don't have to feel so bad about it,_ he finished. Hoping for something like Tabane-esque reaction, the mechanical ears jotted up only for the barest minimum. Much to his disappointment.

"Un... if Ro-kun says so." Tabane replied with a soft smile bridging both anxiety and relief.

Shinkurou looked away from the miserable sight. "It doesn't suit you to give out extra care."

This time, Tabane's smile widened.

"Aha ha haaa...! Because Ro-kun is terrible at saying good things!" The rabbit pointed out.

 _Shut it._ Comforting people wasn't his forte nor was it his calling. In fact, the boy still had so much more to learn about the world but there was almost no chance for it.

Ignoring that raven-haired assassin, he was always hounded by criminal syndicates and black ops in want of his possessions. Almost every day, he ran away, fought, raided, killed, threatened, embezzled, conspired, black mailed, even taking hostages of the annoying pests that were obsessed about something humankind didn't have but he had.

Because of that, he only picked up bits and pieces through hands-on experiences. Without manuals nor references, of course he lacked the social skills to be a decent person in society. That was why he could not feel comfortable at getting close with people, especially these two 'relatives' of his.

 _Not that I care about being decent at all if it's to survive._

"So so! Ro-kun, how did you activate it?" Tabane asked, completely back on being upbeat.

Shinkurou groaned as he felt a headache incoming but at the same time, the steel door that worked as both the entrance and exit of the hangar slid open automatically.

"Tabane-sama, Shinkurou-sama, my apology for the long wait." Chloe uttered while wearing a set of clothing that mirrored her previous one.

"Oooh! Kuu-chan, perfect timing!" Tabane pounced, grabbed the newly returning Chloe and pulled said confused girl in one direction.

Obviously, it was towards Shinkurou. He knitted his brows together as the two suddenly settled next to him and…

"Ro-kun! This here is Kuu-chan!"

"Your adopted daughter and personal assistant… right?"

The woman nodded as she was holding Chloe in place with her hands on both of her shoulders. Grinning widely, Tabane seemed to want to say more so Shinkurou waited. He couldn't shake away some odd disturbance residing in his heart. _Also, this Doll showing off how embarrassed she is at her proximity with Tabane made it even more suspicious…_

Just as he braced for another disaster, Tabane giggled. "Say, Ro-kun… won't you bring along Kuu-chan with you?"

 _Haaa…?_

"What do you mean by that, Tabane?" Shinkurou asked.

"Isn't that obvious? It's—"

" _So you are here, huh? Talk about strange coincidence."_

Two of the three persons in the hangar shuddered as they felt bone-chilling pressures poking their spines. In fact, the hairs on their back stood abruptly as if struck through electrocution.

 _Oh, oh… shit… I forgot… If Tabane is up for something, then…_

"Hmhmm… Say, Tabane, is this your surprise?"

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed, causing the Alice-with-bunny-ears to go rigid; a particular feat nobody ever achieved excepting to one person.

"Also, to think that you'd suggest something logical for once… I must say I am surprised, in a good way of course."

Not only that, even the Bisque Doll was trembling all over, streams of cold sweats apparent on her pale skins as she tried to shuffle away. Unfortunately, her adopted mother was in no different state and her hands were on her shoulders.

"So… it's been a while, right…? _You damned brat._ "

There, standing in front of the three Shinonono was one woman. A raven-haired woman, clad in black office woman clothing. Her usual clipboard held in one hand while she crossed the arms below her gorgeous chests. A stern, almost far too cold gaze penetrated any facade one could made up, and it was directed to one person.

The winner of the 1st Mondo Grosso—the Brynhildr—Chifuyu Orimura was there. _And she looked like she was ready to terminate any obstacle in her path._

Nonetheless—it was easy to predict what would happen, although for one certain fugitive… well, may the gods have mercy on him.

* * *

"Honestly, I thought it was getting late and turns out you didn't tell me of your finding. As always, huh?" Chifuyu snorted in an already irritable manner.

Other than her looking down on a poor, beaten mutt, she was directing a glare at her old friend.

"We-well… things came up and Ro-kun was injured so…" Tabane tried to make an excuse.

If looks could kill, the older Orimura sibling would have conquered the world with billions of undead as her minions. And by no mean was that a joke. _Her gaze is just_ that _scary...  
_

"At least notify me beforehand. Do you think I have much free time?" Chifuyu retorted as she tapped her clipboard with her finger, ready to inflict Divine Punishment should the situation called for it.

"Gh… you said that… but you still have the time to come all the way here…"

And there came Shinkurou's voice, mixing both pain and utter annoyance in one. He slowly got up only to feel something soft wrapping his arm and supporting him to stand properly. _This girl again…_

"…oh? I thought you disliked being close with others?" The raven-haired woman smirked.

"Shut up. I ain't the one wanting this kind of skinship. Go and have a talk with this one and you'll get my point." Shinkurou complained and pointed at Chloe Chronicle.

 _Well, I already have once_ , Chifuyu shrugged and looked away. Releasing her Combat Stance, the woman put a hand on her waist as she waved back her gaze on the boy. He didn't like being peered at but he noted where her gaze lied at.

 _She's inspecting me… is she measuring my physical strength?_

An answer to that question came from her widened smirk, even if it was for no more than a millimeter. "Hum… you are better in shape than you were before."

 _Of course… as if I don't grow up after living for over 10 years like the most wanted person in the world…_

"But well, it seems you didn't lose anything much. At least enough to go."

"Haa? What are you—"

"Brat, you're going to enroll in the IS Academy _starting next monday_."

 _What!?_

"Like hell am I going to study in a place filled with hormonal teenage girls!" Shinkurou yelled.

"You disappeared literally for a decade so it's the best place to reeducate you." Chifuyu stated, then revealed a dirty smile. "Also, isn't it a man's dream to be surrounded by pretty girls?"

 _And that's the freaking problem, dammit!_

"Over my dead body! As if I have the time to get along with boxed-in princesses like them!"

He had enough of the terrorists and that psychotic assassin! Last time he checked, the academy was intruded by hacker and there were even some special ops from America breaking in. With such unreliable security, if he stayed there, all of his enemy would hound him from every side while leaving him no opportunity to escape!

 _He's going to be doomed!_

Still, no matter what he said, the Brynhildr simply shook her head dismissively while the Rabbit—

"Oh, just perfect! Ro-kun has amazing affinity with IS _now_ so he's A-okay to study over there!"

And she just _had_ to cut off his exit path…! Shinkurou stared dagger at the Genius but the Iron Woman before him had her eyes shining with amusement.

"See?" Chifuyu grinned a triumphant grin. "It's not a bad deal anyway. You get free place to sleep and eat for full four years, have your own wallet supplied by the government, and your livelihood is guaranteed by the universal laws since you're _the Second Male IS Pilot._ "

It was almost sadistic in fact. How she looked down on him, catching him red-handed and powerless to even resist the enticing advantages the world could offer to him. Unfortunately, grounding his teeth could only lead him so far and threats were nothing to the two superhumans in his vicinity.

Finally, all Shinkurou could say was "You're all a fucking pain in the ass!"

 _*SMACK!*_ A clipboard hammered the crown of his head, wracking his skull, shaking his head greatly that he almost lost his entire balance had Chloe not clung to him tightly. Of course, the poor boy passed out.

"Quit it with the complaining. Also, watch your tongue in front of your teacher, _damn brat_."

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 **Hm... I noticed the review system isn't working well. And there haven't been any fix. I just hope this won't last long since my progress is usually overly reliant on the opinions of others. Well, next chapter, we shall begin the true beginning of the story! Finally...!**


	9. Chapter 8 - Infinite Stratos Academy

**Alternative Title: "Run, Shinkurou! Run!"**

* * *

It was a fine day, the clear blue sky painting a seaside city with vibrant atmosphere. To this date, technology kept on improving and still people maintained their rules to clean the environment out of respect as well as responsibility. In Japan, having that spirit was the second nature of the entire citizens.

At least, that applied to almost everyone excepting people like Shinkurou.

The boy scowled, hands in his pants' pockets as he followed Chifuyu in the prestigious, international IS Academy where the funding had to be made from Japan's lone wallet. The fact that IS was invented by a Japanese and that it created a massive tilt in power balance as well as economy for a short while didn't help other countries from shifting blames.

In the end, they all pushed everything to the Asian country, believing a problem caused by a troublemaker must be cleared by the troublemaker themselves. _Freaking politicians…_

There was also the fact he was going to deal with adolescent teenagers with dry taste of life. _Heck, I never wanted a part in this, dammit!_

"Stop with that face already. What are you? A kid throwing tantrum?" Chifuyu remarked with a sigh.

The two faced each other in the hallway. Shinkurou scanned the surrounding secretly before speaking up. "As much as I'd like to deny that, I'm a student now. In other words, a damn kid that needs knowledge to be spoonfed."

He didn't forget to click his tongue. Emphasize on the sarcasm please.

"Obviously. If students desired for knowledge by their own wills, I'd have most of my problems nipped already." Chifuyu put a hand on her waist as she turned a hard stare at the boy. "If you don't want to hear lectures, then go study how to be normal citizen, brat."

In the expected manner, the boy scoffed. "Keh. Not like being normal will help increasing my survival rate."

"We're not in a battlefield." The Brynhildr chided, her gaze zeroed in the boy's dissatisfied expression.

"I know. There's simply 'competition' in here."

He looked to the side. Through the windows, he saw people with white uniforms and skirts dancing as they ran, walked, talked, etc... Whatever things they did while going to the school building, just like a herd of innocent sheeps in no immediate need for a shepherd.

"...and I'm going to be in a class where the gender ratio is more-or-less 1:30...?" He pointed at the approaching crowds.

For any other male, this situation would have been a heaven to reconsider. But for him, it was anything but HELL.

After all, emotions were his greatest enemy. He'd never underestimate a temperamental idiot since they often did the unreasonable with foreign logic backing them up.

Doubly so when it came to youths at the peak of puberty, so the rule applied to the entire studentbody of this damned Academy.

 _No matter what, this is a disaster! It's totally a catastrophe!_

"Hoo...? Are you scared, brat?" Chifuyu teased with a sadistic smirk.

Shinkurou scowled. "I'd rather blow this Academy up if I can."

Speaking of which—

"When will my unit be here?"

Shinkurou remembered how it went after 'Tabane Interference' stabbed him at the back. Heck, that ditzy woman literally flipped it in front of him before slamming his entire thought process alongside with.

In the chaos, or whatever abominable pandemonium that rose up on Earth could be named as, Tabane left him in the dust as she took over his sole possession, further kicking him out of the secret rabbit lair.

"Well..." Chifuyu averted her eyes from the dangerous glare, knowing how well her 'friend' could go once she found interesting gizmo. Tabane in ballistic-mode was unstoppable. "It will probably shows up before field practice class. That usually happened."

"Your brother is _the first_. Obviously, his needs took precedence in the government's eyes."

Chifuyu exhaled once again. With an upset glare that seemed to have seen an act of idiocy repeated for more than three times, she looked straight at Shinkurou.

"Brat. You're being paranoid. It's not like the world is your enemy."

"Yet it doesn't help me for once. I'd rather cannibalize if I have to place my hope in strangers sitting down on luxurious chairs all-day long just to bicker without end."

"Then you should restrain yourself. Compared to running around the world as a fugitive, to settle down and reflect on your life is a far better choice."

Shinkurou observed the raven-haired woman in the eyes. They were both experienced in fighting and he knew she's the strongest in terms of piloting IS.

At least, their combat experiences were nearly equal. While he didn't know for sure Chifuyu's true strength was, he knew one thing about her: she cared for people she was close with through the weirdest way possible.

And the boy couldn't withstand it.

"Mind your own business, Chifuyu." He simply said, sailing past the woman who incessantly tried to change his view of the world. "I'm not so merciful I can redeem myself with just reflection."

The boy gazed ahead but felt a headache coming. He didn't like to stay here for a second longer. In fact, it was his honest view that people cannot be trusted, much less loved so easily.

The time he spent with the researchers, with his adoptive sister, with the Brynhildr, or even with the soldiers that died in the base was relatively short if compared with a decade-long suffering.

His world, consisting of only himself and his partner, was the only thing he had. The only thing he grasped. And the only thing he acquired despite being a 'failure'.

As he raised his hand, looking at the palm, a memory flashed and clashed with the present.

 _Smells of rust, scene of burning red, a ruin filled with-_

"..."

Shinkurou clenched his hand tightly as if trying to break his knuckle just to destroy his 'vision'. It was one of his 'moments' that forced him to remember. To make him learn. To punish him for being what he was. Telling him off since he was just a 'scrap' without strength.

And the boy immediately recognized the truth, choosing his own path without having to worry about other's views.

 _...it's already too late to go back. If there's no point to return, then I'd rather jump ahead into the maw of death in front of me with guns blazing._

* * *

Class began with a ring of bell. The students all hurried to their respective desks and even in the class where most Representative Candidates were gathered, only silence ensued.

The reason? It's because their homeroom teacher was one of the select few no one should ever mess up with.

 _However - she's late. That's... unusual, for Chifuyu-san to ever be late._

Houki Shinonono thought as she eyed her fellow classmates. All of those she was familiar with were back and already talked with Ichika but she noticed slight aversion, both by her childhood friend or by them.

 _I guess it's all because the World Purge._

She exhaled as she also knew what kind of thing they went through in the IS network. Heck, it was the most embarrassing moment those girls hid from their love interest that she wanted to yell how shameful they could be.

 _I mean... they...! They...! They dared to imagine him doing a-a-all that!?_

Houki was already red-faced just by imagining if Ichika did the same, but quickly shook off her thought.

 _That is disrespectful! Also, as if that blockhead would do something so immoral!_

But much to her chagrin, the brunette also realized that the interests the boy built had grown wider. Not only that blonde woman that owned the Gospel, he also hooked up with the student council president and her genius sister who was their underclassman.

 _Kh...! At this rate, he's certainly going to become a pimp...! Damn you, Ichika...! You savage pervert!_

She cursed fruitlessly as the door opened, and Chifuyu Orimura waltzed in with her agenda book in her hand.

"Is everyone present?" She asked sternly, tensing the air and bringing everyone's attention just with that question alone.

The woman scanned the classroom, her eyes growing narrower upon recognizing those she called as 'troublemakers' then to Houki.

The Brynhildr nodded deeply. "Before HR starts, first, I'd like to share a couple of news to you all."

Almost all eyes turned a quizzical look at Chifuyu, while some that knew this pattern knitting their brows together.

 _It can't be...! Another transfer student..?!_

Now, if one were to wonder how they knew, last year, there were three students transferring in from overseas. While one of them was in a different class until this year, two of which settled in the same class Houki was in, and they...

More or less, became her rivals in a matter of months. Heck, it was a shock that one of them was actually just a crossdressing girl!

Houki shuddered at the thought of having another enemy when the competition was already heated up as is. Even if the recent incident halted some from advancing, a new competitor would freshen up the flow and reignited the flame!

 _In other words... I'm going to have more difficulty to be with him!_

Houki almost hissed, but for some reasons their Instructor showed a smile, a sadistic one as if she was going to put the class into the daily grinder.

All the RCs shivered and straightened their backs in front of that smile, Laura not excluded despite her harsh training under Chifuyu in Germany. Chifuyu was particularly harsh to her own brother and those closely related to her. If she said 'not good enough,' then she'd clearly destroy their spirits and trample them until not even an ash was left behind.

The younger Shinonono could only hope for her own safety as Chifuyu cleared her throat. Then she announced.

"First, our class, 2-1 is going to receive a transfer student."

 _I knew it!_

"And it's a boy. No, not like last year."

She sent a glare to the RC of France, Charlotte Dunois. In response, the kindhearted blonde girl smiled sheepishly.

… _Eh? If she said it's not like Charlotte, then..._

Everyone looked at Chifuyu as if she had grown a second head. Ichika, the one seated at the forefront and directly in his sister's view gulped.

"Erm... Chifuyu-"

 _Glare._

"Ah, well... Instructor, does this mean... there is another male IS user like me?"

Chifuyu closed her eyes as she nodded deeply. "Yes. And although there was some complex circumstance, he's a Shinonono."

The class went abuzz. This time, the attention turned to Houki who was gaping like a gold fish thrown out of the water.

"By the way, he was adopted by Tabane as a foster sibling."

 _N-nee-san, again, you...!? Don't tell me you just picked up someone on the street and experimented him!?_

Or rather, what if it's something crazy like Biological IS!? Being the inventor of Infinite Stratos was one thing, but she also designed Akatsubaki, the first-and-true 4th-gen when all countries were still testing 3rd-gen IS!

To think of her making such a crazy invention was not farfetched, you know? Heck, she could even transmit a gigantic battery out of nowhere!

"Enough with the chatter!"

Chifuyu slapped the agenda on her desk, all sounds died down as she regained control once again.

"As a matter of fact, he's above you lots in some things. His aptitude as a pilot is equal to Shinonono, and he will not hold his punch no matter who stands before him. At least learn a little from him and it will be beneficial to your own self."

 _Even Chifuyu-san praised him...? Does she know the transfer student personally like Laura...?_

She looked back at the Germany girl with modified uniform and an eyepatch covering her left eye. The brunette found her in a similar state. _She doesn't know too…?_

"Without further ado, please enter."

And the door was slid open yet again, prompting a figure—a male student to enter the classroom.

His stature was as tall as Ichika, if not taller by an inch or so. His hair was ashen as if he had been standing under the rain of volcanic soot. His eyes were black in color but there was a faint ring of golden yellow in them.

Despite all that, his facial and jawline showed his oriental descent—presumably a Japanese descent. The boy faced the entire classroom while standing next to Chifuyu a little farther than the norm.

"This is Shinkurou Shinonono, the second male pilot and also your new classmate from now on."

The boy raised his hand. With half-lidded gaze, he opened his mouth to greet everyone.

"Sup there." He said thusly.

And the class broke into chaotic cheers.

* * *

 _I didn't sign up for this_ , Shinkurou thought as the class was about to end. Since it was his first day, he was excused from being asked by Chifuyu or other teachers.

At least he picked up two or three lessons that recurred often whenever the IS theories hit the class. Alas, for him that somehow got himself squeezed with super-science and whatnot by a certain Genius made his mood ruined. It was during such situation his bored gaze rolled to the side, finding someone glaring at him.

 _...ah, right. Her huh? Also the rest of them all._

"He's real..."

"Yeah, yeah. I know right? And our class got Orimura-kun so we're extremely lucky!"

"His looks are so sharp... I think I'm falling in love..."

"Hush! I call dibs on him!"

"Let's talk to him! Aaah, I wish the class is ending soon..."

…In five minutes, the class actually would end. Typically, for a unique student like him, no doubt many would question him. Or rather, he couldn't miss the predatory gazes all the regular students gave to him even if he wanted to.

He'd prefer to escape but what should he do? Slipping out silently or brazenly denying the classmates' antics? Either of them would not benefit him in the short or long run since he was going to be hounded every day. While the former option was not going to solve anything, he didn't like explaining things about his privacy.

One could only wonder what harm could be done just by revealing his tendencies. _If only Nesha is here..._

"...Guess that I have to do the usual." Shinkurou murmured quietly.

And so, as five minutes expired, the long-awaited bell's chime reverberated throughout the entire school building.

"For now, that is all. Please finish your homework by next week." The teacher said, walking away from the classroom.

All was silent except her fading footsteps. Once it vanished as well-

"Hey hey! Are yo-"

A foot slammed to the table, all eyes gathered at Shinkurou in an instance and he was on top of his desk, going straight towards the windows by a leapt of faith.

"Nha...!?" Someone shrieked but the boy couldn't care less.

He landed on one female student's desk, whispering 'one step to go' and then jumped to the window frame, sliding it open to leap outside.

Unfortunately–the last desk he stepped on was Houki's and she gasped as if she had seen her worst nightmare taking shapes before her.

 _Huh... she does resemble her but... meh, whatever._

With a ridiculing snort, the boy jumped out of the building, sailing through the air while spinning his body to get extra distances.

The class turned into chaos with all kinds of responses, ranging from a scream to fainting at the sudden suicidal action of the new student. Yet the ashen-haired boy landed on one of the trees that was lined next to the school building with few-to-no sound at all.

He grasped a branch, revolving like an acrobat and swung his body down. He landed with a slide but once he stopped, he looked to the side-

"IT'S THE TRANSFER STUDENT!"

And seeing the entire studentbody scrambling out of their seats. Shinkurou scoffed as he took a mad dash like a rabbit chased by an eagle.

* * *

Meanwhile, at class 2-1...

"Na... nha..."

Houki opened and closed her mouth. She didn't even know what to say while others familiar to her approached her.

Ichika first commented casually "That... was a thing."

Lingyin Huang, also known simply as _RIn,_ the Representative Candidate of China gazed with a hand aligned with her eyebrows. "He's pretty fast."

The silver-haired soldier from Germany—Laura Bodewig quipped. "...for being a new student, he didn't hesitate to do all those stunts. Either he's brave or he's just at wit's end."

Then, Charlotte Dunois, the Representative Candidate of France stuttered. "W-will he be fine...? Everyone saw him right...?"

Other than that, the British Representative Candidate snorted. "What a barbarian! Does he even have ANY manner at all?!"

All rolled their eyes quietly. _Stereotype..._

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

Again, I didn't try this ending seriously. It's the first day and our protagonist already flew out of the window. Considering that he's in a class where Personal IS Users are around, he can't just cause a ruckus in an enclosed space and without his own machine, there's no way he stands a chance against any of them. **  
**

So, the options turned into:

A) Braving danger but risk more than it's worth

B) Run away but still keeping privacy and life in hold

Well, he doesn't exactly have any pride so even if he's called a 'coward' to 'batshit insane', as long as he benefited from something in the long run it's all-okay.

On the other hand, about the pairing issue. Since we haven't yet to know every cast through Ro-kun's viewpoint, I'll stretch the ['Beginning' School Life Arc] a bit so that there's an even ground. Readers can decide once the basic foundation is laid out. Sounds fair?


	10. Chapter 9 - Divine Punishment!

"Have you found him!?"

"I heard he's at the east school building!"

"Hurry! Hurry! Lunch break is going to end soon!"

A group of female students ran through the lane where only bushes acted as the divider between it and the lawns. They were so enthusiastic that they even forgot some of them were just out of a quick shower or still wearing their P.E. uniform.

 _...well, there they go._

Shinkurou left the bushes shortly after his 'fans' vanished. He patted his sleeves and loosened his collar out of habit.

"Really. What the hell is up with those girls anyway?"

"Well, isn't that obvious? The Academy this time truly welcomed a genuine 2nd Male Pilot."

 _Hmm...?_ He looked to the right, finding a girl with blue hair and black thongs standing near him alongside another blue-haired girl but with a very modest, Princess-like uniform modification. It was way too frilly while the older one seemed to have some sort of preference with pantyhose.

The boy paused. How did they even sneak up under his defense? Or rather, those faces...

"The Sarashiki siblings huh? I thought the bond between you two isn't that strong to walk together like this." Shinkurou muttered as he looked around to double-check.

 _Hm... while faint, there's also another one around here. But the presence is weak, almost as if the person was sleeping while standing._

 _In any case, I can't let my guard down. Setting aside the younger one, this strongest IS user of the IS Academy is a trouble if I pushed the wrong button._

"Oh my, did people spread such outdated rumor?" The elder Sarashiki sibling pulled out a paper fan and unfolded it in front of her lower part of face.

The kanji written on it was 'INCORRECT'.

"But as you can see, we are as close as siblings could get." Tatenashi smirked with a wink as she cuddled her younger sister.

"Awa-wa-waah!? Onee-chan, st-stop it! This is embarrassing!"

Meanwhile, the younger Sarashiki was fervent red, and honestly showing her discomfort as she flailed in her sister's cuddle.

 _Ho...? Looks like my intel is indeed outdated. Well, rumors from faraway tend to be outstretched._

The Shinonono nodded. "I see. It's nothing then, or should I apologize?"

"It's fine~ But honestly, you're quite an enigma, Mr. Transfer Student."

Tatenashi smiled charmingly. In the context of 'full of seduction' with a trapdoor ready to be stepped on. Shinkurou could only scoff as he wasn't unfamiliar with such honeyed words.

"I wonder," He stated. "I didn't want to involve myself with a bunch of teenagers hot for new gossips materials."

He looked to the sideway in search of some ways to get out. But he didn't forget to glimpse over the duo; clearly seeing Tatenashi folding and unfolding her fan once again.

This time, the words 'EXCUSE ME' were written. _How did she change the letters..._

"Please spare them some of your thought. The Academy has just accepted the existence of a Male IS Pilot in about one year and a half, and everyone was quite disappointed when knowing Dunois-'kun' was actually Dunois-'chan'." The older Sarashiki sibling said.

Shinkurou tilted his head asking 'Is she a running gag reference here?' bluntly. For some reasons, he envisioned a certain France girl sneezing in discomfort, albeit he didn't even know why.

Meanwhile, the Strongest IS Pilot of the ISA chuckled. "Did you know? Rumors will only last for 77 days."

"Isn't it supposed to be 30 days?"

"My, is 7 not a lucky number? You will surely receive great reward if you struck 777 at a pachinko slot."

"..."

Shinkurou briefly considered in planting a hand on his face. Be that as it may, he'd fall for the obvious trap so he bit his molar, trying his damnedest to stop himself. Once the evil urge left his body, he heaved in and out, shaking his head as he showed a bitter expression.

"You know what? Let's set that stuff aside." He said with finality.

The fan was unfolded for the third time, revealing 'INDEED' written a la kanji painting.

 _How the hell did she write that in a matter of seconds!? Or rather, don't tell me she has more fans inside her sleeves!?_

Shinkurou wanted to point out but he felt like he would lose if he did that. Choosing to vent out by blowing air from his nose, he crossed his arms.

"Like what you see now? I'd like to find a quiet place to eat my lunch."

Tatenashi beamed a wide smile it almost looked like a sly fox's smile. _Correction, it IS a sly fox's smile._

"Actually, the two of us siblings here are going to eat lunch in the student council office! Would you like to join in, Shinkurou-kun?" Tatenashi Sarashiki offered.

For the obvious, her younger sibling was dumbfounded. "Uweeh!? O-onee-chan...!?"

Ignoring the innocent one here that seemed to get flustered by anything beyond her comfort zone, Shinkurou eyed the glimmer Tatenashi's eyes possessed for the briefest moment. And he understood it very soon.

 _...I just tripped myself, didn't I? Oh, how I wish I have Nesha around now..._

* * *

"Yaaah... So you brought the new... stu... stu..?"

" _Student_."

Shinkurou corrected the girl in a onesie with a motif of a franchise mascot. He wasn't sure if the rules allowed students to wear slippers like this but he also saw several few modified uniforms, with most noticeable examples coming from the Representative Candidates.

He glanced back at Sarashiki Tatenashi. It's obvious what he wanted to say through his eyes and the president simply unfolded her fan.

'YES' the fan said, prompting the ashen-haired boy to have the urge for face-palming once again. _This... damned Academy...!_

"Well, this is Honne Nohotoke, our childhood friend and trusted bodyguard of the Sarashiki." Tatenashi lightly explained with a smile.

"...this narcoleptic ditz is?" Shinkurou pointed but the subject in question merely tilted her head with tired eyes.

"Hoee...? Is it fine to tell... him...?" The sleepy girl asked. Even her tone was so slow and dazed.

"Hn, Ichika-kun already know, and Shinkurou-kun seemed to have detected your presence earlier, Honne." Tatenashi quipped.

If she was sleepy before, now the narcoleptic girl raised her eyebrows, her tranquil demure disturbed by a slightly opened eye.

 _Oh...? She has... clear eyes._

For some reasons, Shinkurou judged her expression as is rather than reading between the lines. He stared and she stared back at him, as if exchanging conversation even though all they did was nothing but gazing at each other without explainable reason.

"...Ama...zing..."

 _...huh. Someone can be appreciative for once?_ Shinkurou widened his eyes if only a little bit. Then Honne Nohotoke yawned, turning and walking to the nearest sofa like a drunkard...

"Mm... If Prez says so..."

*Puff* Thus she went to the dreamland. _Again._

"...talk about being super laidback. She's not even looking like a decent person." Shinkurou commented with mixed feelings. Either he should get upset or simply give up… even he wasn't sure now.

But the annoying paper fan held by the blue-haired girl unwrapped its wonders yet again. The word 'INCORRECT' was once again revealed.

"Even though she's like that, Honne is a very smart girl. Also, she's our closest friend since childhood so you shouldn't underestimate her, _Shin-kun_." Tatenashi reasoned, to which Shinkurou could only nod down as they watched Kanzashi scurrying to the corner, pulling out what seemed like a premium set lunch boxes.

 _Triple stacks? She probably planned this or... Wait._ _Shin-kun?_

"You… what did you just…?"

"Ehe he…! It's a rule of the student council for the members to have a unique nickname!"

The Shinonono deadpanned at the SC president. She simply smiled and walked ahead to sit on her reserved seat that 'coincidentally' was next to her sibling.

Not only that, she moved her fan, this time folded, to nudge at him. The gesture was simple and holding no meaning, but… _Great, as a 'common student', I guess I'm at her mercy right now... Wouldn't want a very influential clan like Sarashiki to hunt me down on my first day right?_

Shinkurou exhaled as he obeyed and sat down. He situated himself right next to the younger Sarashiki sibling but–it seemed his action was unwelcomed.

"E-eh!?"

 _Now what…?_ He looked at a red-faced petite girl with something like a pair of metal fins on her head going up and down, _much like a certain rabbit's ears._ And her older counterpart just had to raise the fuss even further.

"Oh my, big sister is shocked. Shinkurou-kun, do you prefer the little sister rather than the older sister?"

Fortunately, it was a bearable remark with a logical answer as a strong counter. The ashen-haired boy raised a finger, eyes closed as he recited magic words.

"Don't trust adults, much less strangers when it's your first meeting."

Tatenashi knitted her brows as she pouted. "But Shin-kun, doesn't that mean you're the same in Kanzashi-chan's eyes?"

 _...that's… a good question._ The boy looked at the bluenette and she yelped with red face. _Embarrassment? No, is it just shyness or... nah. Not possible._

But he still had the need to ask. "Do you find me uncomfortable around?"

"Wha-wha-eh?! Huh, uh...! Tha-that's... no...?" Kanzashi answered and tilted her head at the end. It sounded more like a rhetorical question but…

 _Then it's fine_ , Shinkurou settled back like a king. He drew quite a perplexed response from both siblings and they exchanged their gazes for a moment.

Naturally, Shinkurou was aware of them doing that even if he closed his eyes. He expected them to act and all he heard was only a rustle of clothes.

"I guess so~" The older Sarashiki sibling chimed. "Now then, Kanzashi-chan! Let our guest savor the extravagant, exquisite lunch that makes the Sarashiki proud! At once!"

"Uh… Y-yes, Onee-chan!"

"Ooh~! Smells... delicious...!"

Shinkurou rolled his eyes at the two's antics. _Oh, wait. Since when did the narcoleptic pajamas-clad... ah, yes. A childhood friend of a famous clan's daughters? Like hell I'd fall for that trick, you bodyguard with a duty settled from birth._

Of course, he wouldn't say anything to them. He was just fed up of stupid antics after all the craziness he had gone through when he got reacquainted with his adopted sister. He also still wasn't sure if it was a good thing to talk about this-and-that around these 'special' people…

But he also knew that the eyes are the windows of the souls. He didn't dislike these girls' eyes. They weren't treating him as celebrity or exotic animal, not hating him when he acted as he is, nor did they chide him for being 'a special existence' that could ride the warmachine his sister built. Just a normal view that he was him and nobody else.

If anything, Tatenashi was the only one out of the equation. She reminded him of Tabane too much with that smiley face and intonation. _Hell, she mentioned I noticed her bodyguard so she found out way sooner than anyone else... I'd better keep my guards up when I'm around her and this Honne-person._

* * *

Lunch ended in quite a satisfying manner. Shinkurou reaffirmed as he remembered the taste of the premium set lunch box, handmade by Kanzashi.

"So, Shin-kun, how's it like?" Tatenashi asked with a mischievous grin no different to Cheshire cat's.

Unfortunately for him, he had no chance to lie. "It's the best thing I ever had for ten years."

The younger Sarashiki blushed at his words. She stuttered and said 'it's nothing special' but no matter what she said...

"I admit it is beyond palatable. Clearly, you have the skills and talent in cooking, Little Blue Bird." Shinkurou promptly gave her a nickname, one that he had to say out loud since a certain someone used her usual black ticket.

That made the glasses-wearing, frills dressed girl to be even more embarrassed. She began to spout some sort of gibberish things but mostly were her modesty that felt like it made her even smaller than before. _Funny how she retorts to my praises by comparing herself with her sister. Still..._

He nudged at Tatenashi and found her smiling wryly. With arms crossed under her chest, she raised her fan, unfolding it with a jerk of hand.

'CONGRATULATIONS!' Was written on it, confusing the ashen-haired boy. Before he could ask about the meaning, Tatenashi already chuckled and said.

"Umu. You've passed the test, Shinkurou-kun."

… _I knew it._ Shinkurou was ready to step back and flee but the older Sarashiki didn't let up.

"You don't look harmless despite your 'record' and rumors. Since I just heard that you literally jumped off the school building through the windows, I thought you were a bit gruff."

 _Ah... that._ Shinkurou put a hand on his waist and exhaled.

"I just hate being asked by lots of people. It'd have been fine had they acted more civilized." Shinkurou said.

"Ufufu~ Don't worry, the girls will probably calm down after three months or so. That was the case even for Ichika-kun, but that's also because he readily answered or was pulled by his close friends almost every time."

That meant he literally had the backing of the entire Representative Candidates of his year. Then again, he's a typical goody-two-shoes, albeit more oblivious than average men.

 _I already know since his trails always resulted as hot topics at the underworld. The mercenaries I've met all always complained or exasperated since he showed poor performances as if he got no balls at all to fight for his life. It's fortunate that I don't really give a damn about 'equality' thing._

Shinkurou nodded twice. "So you decided to kill two birds by dragging me along. I won't thank you for diverting the students' attentions though."

"Oh my, big sister is hurt... I didn't do 'anything special', you know...?"

He was about to scoff but noticed Kanzashi was confused. From the looks of it, the younger one was in daze so...

 _Tch. She acted as a coincidental safety net to restrict my movement further. Well-played, President..._

To think he was pulled in this sham, having debts in favor, giving out intel as well as testing if he would mean harms to the Academy... As expected of the Sarashiki.

 _No. I guess she's just THAT competent to be the next head of the family._

With all that cunning methods she had, she was like a water lily following the river current. No wonder why her IS too controlled water... It made Shinkurou to recognize her as both a potential enemy and a figure to look out for.

And mind you, there's no way he would respect her. Shinkurou was not going to pile praises even if he was truly beaten soundly. Or rather, praises weren't necessary as long as both sides acknowledged each other. That was one of the 'codes' he picked up after confronting so many hired arms from the most common to the insanely-eccentric-like-no-others.

"Seems like your title as the Strongest IS User of the ISA is not for show."

His afterthought said out loud, then he heard a shrill exclamation nearby. He stared at Kanzashi and she blinked her eyes twice. The narcoleptic ditz was still asleep so...

"Oh my my~ Did Shin-kun fall under big sister's charms? You can't do that." Tatenashi said.

"Haa?" Shinkurou frowned.

Her fan flipped open, hiding her lips and oddly enough, all the way to the cheeks. Then the girl glanced to the side as she whispered.

"After all, big sister's heart is already owned by someone else."

...

"...right... Whatever you say."

Shinkurou opted to remain passive to dodge the bullet. The last thing he wanted in this goddamn flower box was only one thing: Dealing with lovestruck maiden(s).

 _May the God reaps my soul instantly if someone here helplessly likes me after I beat the shit out of them or because I said sweet nothings in whim._

* * *

Today ended with the adopted sibling of the Genius IS Inventor going crestfallen. As he walked through the slightly rowdy but passable hallway, he was going to find his way to the dormitory and find his own room before eating dinner.

 _Now that I think about it, I heard each room is set for two occupants._

Shinkurou stopped at his track. Two occupants... in an all-female private school devoid of mass media's influence or political reasons. It meant no common law applied and the matrimonial sovereign was fully made only for _women._

He realized the horror behind the news with one, loathsome, _bloody fuckin' brilliant_ sentence: _I'm going to cohabiting with a freaking teenage girl!?_

"Oh, hell no! Don't tell me Chifuyu already did the room assignment...!"

He turned 180 degrees and ran back to the school in hope of catching the raven-haired HR teacher of his class. The boy was already fed up with the awe-inspired gazes from his classmates! _As if I had enough limbs and time to spare for another third-rate skit!_

However, as Shinkurou reached the faculty building and turned on a corner...

"Nha!?"

He didn't pay attention enough that cutting corners sharply always resulted in accidents. Regardless of them costing a life or not.

"Gah?!"

A loud crash reverberated with dull sound of flesh hitting the floor. Not only the suspect, even the victim crash landed.

 _Damn it...! How could I not be aware of someone THIS close!? What the hell happened to me?!_

The ex-vagrant cursed in his head as he rubbed his nose. He even wondered of the possibility that Tabane truly experimented on him and picked off some of his nerves. At least nothing was broken but what about the one he crashed in to…?

 _I have a baaad feeling about this…_

Just to be safe, he closed his eyes until only a speck of the scenery could be seen. He knew it was stupid but he was in a school where skirts are flaunted over, and the teachers comparing lessons with the size of underwear.

 _I'd rather die by committing suicide than be trampled as if I'm discriminated for being a male!_

"Ow owoww... Geez, what was that all about...?"

Hm... the voice certainly sounded young. But somehow, there was a certain tone that only ditzy characters in anime would speak of.

Much to his defense, Shinkurou didn't know anything about popular, modern culture but he kept track of the news media while in Japan... it was hard to find no trace of the sophisticated arts that boomed ever since the day Ukiyoe was born. Hokusai did a very excellent job in popularizing the art style all the way to the Europe and the world.

"Eh? Ah, you are...?"

He heard a shrill gasp before something gibberish like radio broadcast jammed by poor signal. As the mutterings ended, he slowly opened his eyes and...

"Huh?" Shinkurou let out a dumb sound.

It was a green-haired teacher with glasses, yellow blouse with contrasting light pink undergarment that, for some reasons or the other— _exposed her cleavage a bit too wide._

What's more - she's got huge knockers that probably matched Chifuyu's or Tabane's if not winning by a decent margin away.

Even for a Hermit like Shinkurou who avoided interacting with others during the past ten years had to make sure he wasn't seeing things, and that he was most _assuredly,_ in reality. A reality that he _oh-so-wanted_ to escape due to the sheer madness that may encroach his sanity and... well, fun fact: He has no self-restraint if push came to shove. _  
_

For once, the ex-vagrant questioned himself whether he was somewhere in the netherworld where succubi ruled the land or a red light district in kabuki-cho. At least the latter was more logical and he could just hit it off with some boozes, get wasted, pay some money then have a nice ol' one-night stand.

"Erm... Shinonono... kun?" Then came the fearful voice.

"...what is it?" He braved himself to ask back.

He hoped she wasn't going to sue him. _Please, anything but the annoying, irresponsible court judges—_

"Behind you is..."

 _Huh!?_ For the _fucking_ third time, Shinkurou was unable to sense foreign presence until the last second.

 _How!? Why…!? Don't tell me…!_

It was pretty obvious that he was at wit's end so he turned around, his head rotating as if trying to break his neck—

*POFF* His face flew through something akin to a layer of fabric before hitting something soft. Also warm.

...

"Nha...! Wha...!?"

 _...that voice..._

Shinkurou raised his hand as he probed his way through the sudden darkness. It then touched something soft, circular, warm, and also had texture that felt like a high-grade feather cushion.

"Wha…!?"

 _...ah. This pattern..._

"Y-y-you... You...!"

Pulling his hands away from the source of the voice, Shinkurou's head brushed back the layer of soft fabric that he could certainly smell a distinct flower's scent. _Camellia…? Well, fuck…_

He finally looked up—only to find one Houki Shinonono burning in wrath.

The boy looked up and down, judging from the angle and the place his head was shoved into...

 _Oh, how hath the Hell Gate been opened..._ Still…

"On my defense, don't sneak up behind me."

Everyone (minus one) heard something snapped. Houki's eyes shone with bright red as she raised her right arm, the shinai she possessed as a kendo practicioner flying out from its comfy sheath to strike down like Zeus' divine thunder.

"Divine punishment!"

Needless to say, there was a huge chaos rocking the faculty building. With one casualty counted and one useless teacher being unable to prevent the incident from escalating.

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

See here folks, I'm not going to post anything for at least two weeks to focus myself on finals. Since my poor performance is probably affecting my outcome this semester, I'd like to at least raise my scores even if a bit with the weight final always carried with it. Anyway, I've got nothing to say again except Shinkurou is inadvertantly talking(?) with his other sister for the first time(?).

Not that he should care when he destroyed everything apart from the get-go. Falling on his butt then turning around while in that position, in an Academy where the students are _encouraged_ to wear miniskirts...

 _GG, Ro-kun._

Even with Houki's uptight personality, the common standard is sadly inadequate in my eyes. Maybe it's the norm there but this is what happens when you're a male in a boarding school environment exclusively for girls. Their awareness are just _that_ low, and it will get worse for our Crow Rider. _Heh... he he he he..._


	11. Chapter 10 - New Problem in The Morning

He never asked for a bump on his head. It was big and throbbing and sending pain to shake his brain like a devil's hand once every minute. Period.

 _Now then, other than the chaos and second karmic retribution, what else did I miss?_

"You. Explain." A brunette with ponytail demanded.

Oh, yeah, this one. Shinkurou exhaled even as he was allowed to be released from the infirmary. The Doctor in-charge was a professional and she just had to comment 'you've got some tough skull to crack' casually.

 _And how much closer to a truth that is. In any case..._

The two were now walking in silence. It was starting to get late and the path leading to the dormitory was illuminated only by several streetlights. Further ahead was a vending machine located in-between the dorm and school buildings complete with a bench to sit on.

Having said that, it was a perfect isolated location for interrogation. Shinkurou praised Houki's patience to hold out until his mind whimsically asked for a can of grape juice.

Although non-alcoholic, it's still far, _far_ better than a carbon dioxide-infused drink next to it.

"Well, what do you want to know?" The ashen-haired boy asked as he inserted a coin and pressed his choice.

The vending machine hummed out a tune to fill the short silence. When the sound of a can being dropped and clunked in the drop box, Shinkurou squatted as his same-age sister answered.

"Everything."

 _That will take too much time_. Shinkurou picked up his canned juice, opened the lid and sipped the acidic yet sweet liquid down his throat.

 _Hm... quite ordinary at best. Still better than the rest._

Turning around, the boy tilted his head. "I assure you, it's nothing serious."

The brunette showed an expression that clearly stated 'Do you honestly think I will fall for that?' now. Shinkurou wondered how a face could tell him so much information as well as imagery but it was far better to have an answer rather than nothing at all.

 _This will be tricky then. Not that I prefer being all-mysterious-vibed guy so-  
_

"I was adopted by your older sister since she thinks I'm 'interesting'." Shinkurou answered flatly.

Obviously, it felt as if time was frozen solid and suddenly resumed after eternity had passed. Not that it was anything longer than five minutes but it took Houki's brain to shut down, reboot only to crash then burn.

She looks like she just witnessed an absurdity like her crush flying through the window with dynamic entry pose. _Hm, kind of odd way to describe it huh?_

"...N..."

 _N?_ Shinkurou stared at his sister curiously. She was hanging her head down, trembling and slowly clenching her hands. She seemed like she was holding ubearable tension. Then...

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah! Nee-san, just what are you doing!? How am I supposed to explain this to father and mother...?!"

...she broke. Quite literally.

 _Looks like even for Tabane's relatives, abduction and forced registry of a new family member is unheard of,_ Shinkurou noted as he slowly crept his way out. He didn't want to attract attention as the angry mobs haven't reached cooldown period. That said, he was 'technically' a Shinonono so as a proper family member, he ought to at least pull Houki away from breaking down badly.

...on second thought, screw that idea. _I've got no merits from it right?_

"Well, I'm going off first—"

"Wait! YOU!"

Shinkurou groaned. He couldn't help it.

"Why did you even accept her demand?! What are you trying to pull!?" Houki shouted in indignation.

 _...of course there's nothing_ , the boy honestly wanted to say with a voice dripping off sarcasms. The boy was here because Chifuyu asked for it, and Tabane supported her decision. In fact, he got nothing to do in this place, unlike before.

 _I would have run and fled and hid from terrorists. I don't really have any idea in what to-do should there be no threats._

Putting a hand under his chin, Shinkurou realized that something was missing. _It was the needs of survival._

Supplied food. Monthly allowance. Privileged medical facility. A roof to sleep under with water, electricity and gas for personal use. Three-years of life that has no concern over danger such as shrewd criminals or political ploys meant he has obtained the specific needs to live at least frugally. If so...

"...I guess I have nothing to do in a paradise like this."

"P-paradise...?! You...!"

 _Huh?_ Shinkurou turned to Houki that had boiling red face. _What is she doing now?_

"You... don't tell me you intend to... to...!" She stuttered and unable to finish her sentence.

Deadpanning, Shinkurou really, _really_ had the urge to mock her in the most ridiculous manner. He bluntly _loathed_ how some people would always take the wrong clues and patch it all up with a half-brain's guesses.

"...you know, stuttering like that will give others the wrong impression. Also, get your mind off the gutter. I don't have any reason to date anyone." Shinkurou finished the juice and threw the can into the trash bin.

Recyclable one. The bin made a quite a distinct noise it distracted Houki for certain. _Else I would have tried to flick her forehead to further humiliate her._

"Houki, do you think I came here because I want to?"

"Eh...? That..."

"...Whatever. Say, you wouldn't happen to know where my room is right?"

"That's... Isn't that obvious?"

"...yeah. I guess so. Haa, damn that woman."

Rubbing his temple, Shinkurou stared at the dormitory. It was quiet until his step-sister murmured.

"Umm..." She started, finally showing a mostly calm but nervous looks. Mostly, mind you. "So... we are... siblings?"

Shinkurou sighed. "As much as I'd like to deny it, yeah. What's up?"

"Err, nothing! Nothing...!"

 _Really? But your cheeks are tinted red. You sure is a bad actress._

"...Whatever. Can I go now? I seriously need hours to sleep." Shinkurou somewhat pleaded.

The girl swiftly nodded after her eyes rounded up. At least this girl is considerate.

"You did run around the Academy just to get away. Of course you feel tired." She commented.

"Yeah... but I hate crowds. Also barrages of questions." Shinkurou complained.

"It couldn't be helped. Ichika suffered for the same thing back when he first entered the Academy."

Shinkurou raised an eyebrow at the sudden comparison between him and someone else. Still, he imagined that one boy in the same scenario, and...

Just by looking, he could visualize that guy not running and instead confronting everyone head-on. It was both brave yet suicidal action, in his opinion. Brave as in having the heart to face dangers, but suicidal as in not caring he would get worn out after that.

For the boy, he often had to fight even if his stomach was empty. He knew the taste of battling as if there was no tomorrow and to be honest, it didn't feel good at all in the long run. That was why, seeing Ichika selflessly fighting his way out was... disturbing. It wasn't enough to identify him as threat but people like him always have a way to surpass expectations.

And in the battlefield, element of surprise is a crucial factor to determine victory as well as survival.

"...Erm..."

Hearing that sound, Shinkurou glanced at the brunette following after him. She was still wary but she probably felt awkward in this situation.

 _Well, who can blame her?_ Suddenly being introduced to the fact that there was a sibling she didn't know must have jeopardized her life. It was a family-related matter so there should have been proper explanation and agreement between the family members. On a personal level.

Alas, the smartest bunny in the world had nothing to do with common sense, much less decency.

"Haa..." Shinkurou sighed, feeling enough of the awkward atmosphere between them.

There were options before him.

He could shrug off Houki and steered away from the RCs. With that, he might be able to spend time leisurely without getting caught in the chaos. This ought to be the best solution as he too didn't want to get close with any of this goddamn Academy.

In the other side was the choice of giving a hand. It wasn't like he wanted to do it since it gave him no merits, but he feared for a certain rabbit appearing from his wardrobe in the dead of night.

 _If anything, I'd rather not infuriate that woman._

"...Houki." With heavy heart, the boy called out after making his decision to deal with the person before him.

The girl, obviously startled by his bluntness to refer through no-honorary, no-nickname calling asked back. "Wh-What is it?"

The ashen-haired boy took several moments to confirm final preparations. For some reason, he was getting a lot of De Ja'vu scenes in this academy and he didn't like it for one bit. Why? Because mysterious familiarity bred ill omen, and ill omen bred for wrong choices, and ultimately bred karmic retribution.

 _Oh, I can just imagine how much entertainment that woman would get if she caught a wind of what I'm going to do… Damn you Tabane, damn you to hell!_

"Since I'm a little older than you by a few months, I'm your older brother here." With reluctance, Shinkurou announced as he pointed to his chest with flexed arm and a thumb pressing his school badge.

"..." Houki was petrified.

 _What? Got any problem?_ Before he could voice out those questions, Houki's rigid form disappeared. She crossed her arms, then huffed with a stoic face.

"No. Way. I have NOT acknowledged you as my sibling yet!" Houki stated with utter firmness that surprised the boy.

Although only slightly. Shinkurou didn't miss the slightest twitch at the edge of her lips, indicating the girl was holding back from smiling. Yet she didn't laugh at him which meant… _the message was decrypted successfully._

Quite rare for girls of her age to not act fully out of rampaging emotions. Shinkurou finally had a shred of interest in the teenage girl before him, albeit it was just a small bud of curiosity. He assumed it might be because she has had enough shares of dealing with that blockhead as her childhood friend.

 _Still, it surprised me that she has a good insight in reading between-the-line. If there's one thing I should do after confirming the result of the test…_

"Really? Then I'll prove my worth as soon as I can." Shinkurou smirked a little, feeling challenged by her way of speaking. _A small reward will suffice, but carrot stick and horse always did the best work._

"Of course! Trust is not given, but earned through efforts." Houki replied thusly, like a warrior indeed.

Ah. It was truly well said of her. Shinkurou certainly didn't dislike that way of thought for it was an ironclad rule he came across to everywhere.

 _Well, unless one was a genius that cared not of good or evil and instead... likes or dislikes._

In any case, after the introduction between the Shinonono siblings, they had walked to the dormitory together. Shinkurou could only be awed at the luxurious hotel-like building and just by seeing the yards and lobby... _Yeah, this thing is a damned 5-stars level dormitory._

"A-hem. Allow me to explain a few rules beforehand." Houki announced while adopting a Chifuyu-like pose whenever she began her sermons.

Shinkurou didn't expect the girl to do the same but it probably had things with respects and well... The raven-haired woman was a proper figure of adult, albeit a little too strict for his taste.

Thinking the following explanation would benefit him, the boy chose to stand before the dorm entrance and lent an ear to his adoptive sister.

"First, the dorm is divided depending on the years. First-year students' rooms are on the first floor, the second-year on the second floor, and so on." Houki explained.

"Hm... so I'm going to be at the second floor." Shinkurou mused.

"Yes, but since you are new, I believe consulting with the dorm manager will do you more good. Last time, Ichika just..."

 _...just...?_ The ashen-haired boy waited for the sentence to be finished yet there was nothing more than silence. He tilted his head as Houki suddenly turned red-faced, crossed her arms and snorted.

"Nothing! Nothing! In any case...! It's better to ask Instructor Orimura since she's our HR teacher." Houki said with hurrying speech.

"Haa... so it ended up like that huh?" Shinkurou half-heartedly responded.

Unfortunately for him, that answer earned him a harsh glare with a scowl.

"What was that?!"

"...no, it's nothing. Got it, that's a good idea."

He rolled his sight to catch a certain teacher in the lobby. _Oh, speak of the devil..._

"Huh? Where are you going?" Houki asked.

"Asking the person herself." Shinkurou replied.

With his step-sibling in tow this time, they entered the dorm and approached the older Orimura sibling who looked like she was still fuming. When she noticed, Chifuyu exasperated although in relief, much to the two's confusion.

"Chifuyu? What is it?" The boy asked.

That was a bad move. A smack of clipboard blessed his head right away and he grunted since it was more powerful than the last time he was hit by it.

"Call me 'Instructor'. You lacked more manner than before, fool!" Chifuyu—correction, Instructor Orimura exclaimed.

Shinkurou rubbed his head in annoyance. "Yeah, yeah... Whatever you say."

"You want to do seven laps around the Academy?" She glared.

"No thanks if it doesn't raise my scores for next week pop quiz, Instructor." He waved his hand.

Grudgingly paying respect, the boy could only lower his head slightly at the mention of something that sounded like a new method of torture.

"Hmph. Boys these days..." Chifuyu shook her head lightly. "So? What is it? Why are you two up this late?"

 _Up this late...?_ Shinkurou for the oddest reason wanted to say something about it. And if he could, he needed a small reaction from these two uptight women.

"Well," He began. "Should I say my little sister asked me out for a hot evening date?"

" "What...!?" "

 _Heh. Hook, line and sinker._ The second male IS Pilot chuckled inwardly at the dumbfounded Houki.

If he might add, Chifuyu as well.

"Jokes aside, I wanted a canned juice and the only one is outside." He quickly defused the situation. "Then, this one hopped into the bandwagon so we kind of did a small sibling talk—*SMACK*—Ow."

Chifuyu glared at him while pulling back her signature wea-clipboard. "Then say that beforehand! Do you take me as a fool?!"

"No... I'd kind of wanted to get a response or two."

The older woman rubbed her temple, muttering 'So Tabane's influence has run this deep...' under agitated breaths. Even Houki looked in the same way.

 _Hey, I take offense with that. I am not influenced by anyone to decide my life._

"Enough with all that. What do you want, brat?"

"Right... where do I sleep?"

Oh, so it's that, Chifuyu said. As she sounded as if it coincided with something in her schedule, the older Orimura put a hand on her waist and said.

"Well, since you're a male student, it's already obvious where you are going to stay at."

 _...don't tell me..._

* * *

"W-waaaaaaaggh!? Why are you two in my room!? Or rather, what's with those clothes?!"

A certain voice so familiar enough that it could be described as comical and also pitiable echoed throughout the hallway of the second floor. While Shinkurou could only stare with deadpan eyes, Chifuyu exhaled deeply.

Houki was reacting in the most extreme way. Probably, had Chifuyu not been around, she would've stomped her way into the frying pan.

"That idiot really does not learn." The Instructor uttered in the most completely fed up way.

Just in time, a certain black-haired boy stumbled out of a room, presumably his own, and fell to all four while panting. He really looked pitiful had a pair of girls, one french girl in bunny onesie and the other a silver-haired girl with a cat counterpart onesie didn't stand at the doorstep.

If one were to look closely, the French girl with blonde hair smiled shyly while the germany super-soldier seemed slightly reluctant which put up a beautiful contrast. Still, though.

 _...what is this, this surreal scene like no other as if it came out from some lame, low budget late-night anime show...?_

"Is this some kind of joke?" Shinkurou just had to ask.

"No, it's not. Minus the two idiots over there, you're going to be... Ichika's roommate." Chifuyu replied, the last part sounded almost like she didn't want to admit it.

 _Heh... looks like your days never got better huh, Instructor?_

"Y'know what...? If I were near him, I'm quite sure I won't be able to live my school life ordinarily." The ashen-haired boy tilted his head after suppressing the urge to smirk at the OL-suited woman's daily suffering.

"As much as I'd like to point out how your life is nothing short than madness itself, this one is no different. In a strange sense too." The older Orimura quipped with fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.

Then the last one in the group yelled out. "Wait, why are both of you in sentiment!? "

"The RCs are quite famous after all." Shinkurou sent out his afterthought, much to his step-sibling's chagrin.

* * *

"Ah... so you're Shinkurou. Nice to meet you, I'm Ichika Orimura."

Ichika presented a sign for handshake. After the storm had passed, the two boys were left alone while their Instructor dragged away the 'troublemakers' to reflection room. Houki too gave a few parting words like 'please take care of my brother' with 45 degrees bow.

 _Tch, she appealed first. She's pretty clever._

"...yeah. Best regards." Shinkurou replied with a light handshake.

It didn't last for more than 3 seconds.

The boy turned his back and started unpacking his belonging—the sole and just-enough-to-sustain-oneself possessions unraveled from within a cardboard box next to his bed.

"Hn... Ah, unpacking so soon?"

 _...this guy... does he intend to make a conversation? No, does he even try at all?_

"Mine is not much after all." The ashen-haired boy answered curtly.

"I see... you sure is diligent. It's like seeing two peas of the same pod." Ichika commented with a dry smile.

Shinkurou sighed. "No. I and Houki aren't related by blood."

 _Eh, is that so?_ The First Male IS Pilot made a dumbfounded sound, which was under expectations. Thinking there was no harm to it, Shinkurou chose to reveal his identity a little bit.

"That girl with rabbit ears adopted me arbitrarily."

"Adopted...? By Tabane-san...? Don't you have a..."

"I'm an orphan. _Was_ , I guess."

From the edge of his peripheral vision, he saw the dark-haired boy scratching the back of his head. There was an expression he always saw whenever this part was mentioned.

At least general populace would react the same. _This guy's oddly a little more insensitive than the others though._

"I-I see... sorry, I didn't mean to." As expected, Ichika apologized.

"I don't really care about it anyway. Family can break and crumble in the drop of hat. It's also common for divorces to happen and what followed the irresponsible parents' decision is the children's unconscious change of view of them." Shinkurou scoffed as he finished moving the last of his belonging into the rightful places.

But then, he heard an unexpected answer.

" _...I guess you're right._ Still, you've got a new one so why not make it again? Houki looked very pleased to have a brother."

The ashen-haired boy wished. He wished so hard that he crumpled his fists that were hidden away from the innocent, honest-to-goodness kind boy's sight. Shinkurou wished so hard not to lash back because he refused to act due to violent emotions. He wasn't an animal. He would not let his heart clouds his decision, aand he'd never allow himself to live by feelings to survive.

Even so, he knew those words. It was something that someone who suffered similar fate could ever say. He didn't know much about the boy's circumstance, nor did he quite understand what he thought at the moment.

And yet, he _knew_ that Ichika said those words because he too recognized the feeling of being forsaken by those he'd consider as family. _Thus... he is capable of sympathizing, even empathizing with my pains._

"...I doubt it will be so easy." Shinkurou replied after he finally had his Inner Beast taken down to the floor in paper-thin victory.

* * *

Next day, morning seemed to arrive later than usual.

That was thought by Shinkurou alone. The boy had woken up at the break of dawn, scouting the room for possible bugs before realizing he wasn't in a cheap rent where he had to fear for security loopholes.

"...old habits die hard... huh?" He mumbled dryly.

Checking the clock and comparing current time with schedule, he decided it was worth it to refresh his mind by running a few laps around the dorm. After changing to a full-set training suit, the Second Male IS User left the building and took off with a light sprint.

The air was cold and clean. While mist could slightly be seen, the lush greenery separating the dorm with the school building area set a tranquil mood. As Shinkurou passed a small bridge where some sort of natural canal formed, he heard the birds' melodious, if not harmonic singsongs.

"...certainly, this place has a lot more than meets the eyes." Acknowledged the boy.

 _However..._

He didn't even reach half the second lap when he stumbled upon another figure standing in his path. More like, she was leaning her back against a lamppost, silver wave of hair glittering under the dim yellow light that soon faded alongside the rising sun.

Halting his step bits by bits, he stood in a safe distance naturally as the stranger blocked his path fully. Ignoring her long, neat silver hair, which was obviously uncommon for Asian people to have, her modified uniform screamed the impression 'soldier' in mind.

Then, with a rigid, almost noticeably hostile voice, _Laura Bodewig_ inquired. "Who are you? What is your aim to infiltrate this place?"

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 **No, I have no idea why I'm posting even though finals start by... tomorrow? Maybe I'm trying to run from reality or that I just want to get this chapter out of my mind to focus in studying. And whatever thing distracted me...**

 **Well, I started another fiction. It's some kind of crossover of the famous franchises FSN x DxD. No, I have NO idea how my head just spun out the story about that but the DxD-centric story revolves in the protag getting spirited away from his comfy lair by... a being who's not Zelretch.** ** _Wow._**

 **On a side note, the FSN doesn't have World section for F-slash-A A.K.A Fate/Apocrypha or Grand Order. Huh, I wonder which thing should I put in.**


	12. Chapter 11 - Inevitably Lured

Laura had been observing him.

Although only for one day with breaks in-between, her careful investigation regarding the boy didn't turn fruitless. After all, it was yet again another unprecedented occurrence, and her nature as a soldier wouldn't let any suspicious element go unidentified.

Heck, she even contacted headquarter to provide the much needed intels ASAP. It was kind of a hassle to clean the mess since they thought she switched 'target' though...

"I ask again, who are you? What is your aim by entering the Academy so brazenly?" Laura inquired, further noting signs of hostility in her words.

It was subtle but she knew that anyone who noticed it meant they were at least as experienced as she was, or possibly stronger than her. The girl didn't expect much coming from a winner of a grand lottery like the boy before him.

And yet... his eyes showed a strange glint and the slightest twitch of his lip told her a thousand pictures.

"Well," Shinkurou Shinonono started. "What do you mean by that, Laura Bodewig?"

The super-soldier couldn't hide her smirk. It was a challenge. A bait. He intentionally exposed a part of his cover. The fact he knew her full name when they have yet to introduce their selves proved he had his own information, and possibly... everyone she knew in this Academy as well.

 _As expected of someone of the Shinonono. The air around him was as strange as the IS inventor's._

"Hmph. Playing dumb, are we?" Laura scoffed, crossing her arms.

"I don't think I understand. Have I done something to you?" Shinkurou replied with a tilt of his head.

At this question, a ghost of a smile could be seen on her face. "Perhaps not in the past, yet you might do something in the near future."

Exchanging stares, the talk drowned in short silence. It was not for long as a chuckle left one side's mouth - and Laura affixed her eyes upward.

"That goes well to you bunch then." Shinkurou said, an empty smile permeated on his face.

 _Thi-this guy... Even empty provocation has a limit right? But wait, 'you bunch'..._

Then a scream similar to a banshee's shriek echoed from the dormitory. Both stared at the building, clearly noting the the ruckus that quickly turned into something similar to chaos in the pandemonium.

"Bodewig, if you dilly dally here, your lover is going to be stolen beforehand."

"Uu...?!"

With such tremendous advice given out, the super-soldier gnashed her teeth, torn between duty and personal interest. At one side, she was a soldier, a warrior trained to protect people. In this Academy, she had made friends so that meant it was her duty to protect everyone here.

But at the other side, she knew that if she were late once again, her love interest would be drawn by the schemes of her rivals and at some point... taken off from her reach. That precious wife of her would be stolen!

And it was then that a certain memory pertaining the incident that required hacking into the system of the Academy flashed in her mind. Laura stiffened as she remembered those hateful, shameful event which resulted in Ichika's frequent action of steering away from gathering with everyone.

"So?" But as if waiting on cue, the ashen-haired boy grinned. "It's best if you make haste, you know?"

"...g... Gh...! You scoundrel...!"

 _Well, fortunately, I'm fine being one_ , he quipped, further angering Laura nearly to the limits. The thought 'blasting him away' was already floating in her mind but-

*BOOM!* From the dormitory, the situation had already escalated to the next level.

"Ah, smokes huh... probably someone used an IS equipment. Chifuyu is going to have a field day today." The Shinonono muttered out loud.

That implication didn't escape the girl. She wasn't clueless. She knew how much of a drill sergeant her former-superior was and one mistake was the squad's mistake. In other words...

 _Her negligence may cost everyone, including her very much! She mustn't allow that!_

"Dammit! You're lucky this time, you hear me?!" Laura speeded towards the dormitory, flicking a final glare at the ashen-haired boy.

The subject could only shrug before resuming his jogs, "Doesn't matter. I won this time, _Bisque Doll_."

* * *

After the noisy morning, Shinkurou decided to settle aside whatever he could call as 'semblance of common sense' in adapting to his new life. It was required since the people around him were... not exactly normal.

It was not bad though. He was quite sure all of the students were a bunch of naive birdbrains with flowers growing out of their skulls. Softies that definitely couldn't take even a small dip into the dark side of the world.

Comparing them with mercenaries that could resuscitate themselves through impromptu apparatus was simply insulting. _To the hired killers of course._

Anyway, it was the first recess and pretty much all the chaos have yet to flop down.

"Don't let him escape! He's got wicked physique so don't let your guard down!"

" " " "Yeah...!" " " "

...instead, it escalated even further.

Hanging at the corner of the auditorium, Shinkurou observed silently how the army of teenage brats scouted the entire facility as if their life depended on it. It took a full five minutes for them to leave and when the cue was given out...

"The hell are they saying about my physique? Freaking immature brats..." Shinkurou commented after throwing himself down.

Dusting his sleeves and pants, he exhaled quietly. He didn't want to get caught by all means, really. If anything, he'd do anything just to get away from this damned Academy.

Even so, a Valkyrie and a rabbit-eared Alice would hunt him down as if he was a heretic if he did so.

Thus, he started formulating his next step..

"Hmph!"

He ducked down as two hands reached out for his head, only finding empty air in their grasps. The boy quickly shuffled away for some safe distance but he halted soon after. At total stop, he narrowed his glare.

"What do you want?" The boy asked a familiar light-blue haired girl.

"Now now~ It wouldn't be good to start a ruckus just because of some slip of tongues, right?" Tatenashi Sarashiki answered merrily. "But that's so unfair... you even detected my surprise beforehand, Shin-kun."

"Well, thank you for telling me then." He said sarcastically.

Unfortunately, it was taken rather lightly. The upperclassman looked as if she was having the most fun of her life by taking in his irritations.

 _...I forgot people like her preferred honest reactions. Curse my idiocy..._

Shaking his head, Shinkurou chose to quicken the pace of their convesation. "So what do you want this time? Break time is still two classes away."

"Oh my? Have you grown fond of Kanzashi-chan's cooking?" Tatenashi grinned, her folded fan's tip at the edge of her lips.

The boy would never admit it out loud but he certainly liked what he was served with last time. Rather than scavenging half-decaying organic trash, the triple-stacked lunch boxes were sitting at the top of his preference.

"As a matter of fact, Kanzashi-chan tried to make it four hours before dawn. She's been practicing secretly to cook a better meal."

The piece of information flew out all of a sudden that Shinkurou blinked in surprise. Rare as it seemed, he was not one that took similar reactions like common people would.

 _Four hours... so she made it at two o'clock in the morning...? Isn't that a bit much - huh!_

Tatenashi suddenly unfolded her fan, giving the boy the impression of smiling widely but hiding it with the fan.

He scowled once he realized his reaction must have amused her. "Whatever. I didn't ask about it and my question isn't answered yet."

"Is that so? Big sister is not one to find faults since Shin-kun is certainly in a tight spot as well. Then..."

The girl momentarily paused. The sudden gap in the conversation caused Shinkurou to have a bad, baaaad feeling for having to demand his way out. In the scruffy, almost suffocating atmosphere, Tatenashi folded back her fan.

She revealed her widest grin yet. _Fuck..._

"This Big Sister wants to have one more helping hand for her work. Would you like to help, Shin-kun?"

And there was the extremely familiar faint sound of a stampede approaching the auditorium, followed closely by energetic, enthusiastic, fucking annoying shouting of someone's name as well as whereabouts.

There was no need to second guess who was behind the returning horde.

 _...I just signed my death sentence again, huh? Me and my big mouth..._

* * *

The student council office of the ISA looked no different than an office, albeit facilitated by higher-grade furniture and objects. The regal air one could feel just by entering the room was probably because the student council was made from students with best scores, both in theoretical and practical classes.

Ironically, the person chased by official figures-slash-extremists-slash-terrorists-slash-criminal syndicates for ten years was somehow in such place. _It's kind of insane now that I think about it..._

"Okay~! Ichika-kun, Shin-kun, please sort out the documents before handing them back to me! Make sure you double-check them all and please set some aside if they don't make sense at all!" Tatenashi commanded.

The only two male students of the ISA could only exchange glances, on their hands were stacks of papers that must be processed manually even though the Academy was never short in showing off technological advancement. The amount was probably enough to put one be stressed that they'd tear out their hairs.

"...I still have class after this." Shinkurou made an excuse even though he knew it wasn't the best thing for him.

 _Still, I'd be damned if I become a corporate slave like this...!_

"Not to worry! Both of you are technically helping out the student council, so it means much for the school and teachers. Also, the board director would be pleased if our new addition proves himself."

 _...so they gave the pass for skipping class, huh?_

"Well... the works are certainly tough. I don't see any reason why I'm not going to help." The younger Orimura sibling said.

"As long as this won't bite me at the end..." Shinkurou quipped in resignation.

 _At least I won't be hounded by crazy masses for a short while..._

* * *

Unexpectedly, the issues that must be dealt with by the Student Council were mostly trivial.

"Complaints about aircons... The suspicious dark spots near the incinerator... Not enough menu...? The pilot suits aren't giving much room for personality...? What the hell?" The ashen-haired raised an eyebrow.

"Aah... I thought of the same at first. There really are strange suggestions out there." Ichika smiled bitterly as he handed a small stack of signed documents to Tatenashi.

The SC president nodded when she glanced over them. "Unfortunately, the kitchen is quite understaffed and the school funds won't be enough to buy additional food ingredients or air conditioners. The dark spots are simply molds."

Once she settled with her ten fingers crossed under her chin, her red eyes found their way to the pair of jet-black orbs.

"Then, about the pilot suits. While in Japan they are modified from orthodox school swimsuits, their foreign counterparts are said not quite up to standards." She further explained.

Shinkurou hummed as he fed his thoughts. It was probably related to the difference of cultures and the people's general sense of fashion. With various factors coming in play, there was no doubt a standardized version would receive different inputs. The most accepted opinion would be how different the physical stature of Japanese people to those of worldwide.

"Though it's still started by different tastes." Shinkurou remarked, a piece of memory about a certain assassin's skimpy pilot suit coming to mind. "The ones for RCs aren't much of a change either right?"

"Well... since there were only minor changes on the motives, designs and base colors... I guess."

Then for some reasons, the Strongest IS User of the Academy's grin turned sly.

"Heh he... would you two like to see for yourself then? Big sister wouldn't mind you two looking on her stylish figure~"

Now, with such way of saying it, there were two possible responses coming from the boys.

Ichika was quite obviously flustered, his cheeks reddening and sweats dropping down his chin. As he visibly gulped before panicking like a typical teenager, he protested 'N-no! That's too much even for you, Tatenashi-san!'

Meanwhile, Shinkurou was mostly indifferent, if his scowl was any other indication. Although in his head he detected a change in the boy across him. It was subtle, mainly because Japanese aren't ones to use first name when conversing if they were not intimate enough to have a heart-to-heart talk.

 _...huh. I guess he really is a looker and a player at the same time. Not that I care about being popular or not._

"I'll have you know that I have zero interest in you or anyone else in this school." Shinkurou gave out his answer dryly.

That dry response, unfortunately was replied with a weirded out expression coming from the current occupants of the office.

"Eh... Shin-kun, are you by any chance..." Tatenashi trailed off while Ichika sweatdropped, even steering back his chair together with his body as if ready to jump out.

The ashen-haired boy quickly cut her words off. "I'm no homo. I simply prefer women that aren't at adolescent period."

The younger Orimura heaved a sigh of relief while the older Sarashiki nodded deeply as if she was analyzing for any trace of lie. These annoying teenagers...

"But wait," Ichika raised his head, his wide eyes seemed to have witnessed some sort of revelation. "Women not in puberty...? Could it be...?"

His mind began to wander and his expression blanked out.

"Oh my, is it Instructor Orimura? Shin-kun, even though you are new here but aren't you setting the bar too hi-"

"Do you think I can honestly stand a chance in keeping up with her?"

 _In fact, I definitely won't survive long with her around me for twenty-seven._

Shinkurou shuddered inwardly when he imagined the god-forbid future where he ended up as her equal. He answered since he was asked at first but now he was fed up of this stupid talk.

 _I knew that it was the wrong move to have yet again let a slip of tongue..._

Fortunately this time, he was taken rather seriously by the two.

"Guess so~ The Instructor is undoubtedly a really busy and strict person to have as a lover." Tatenashi beamed a smile.

"I can no longer disagree about that..." Ichika shrugged albeit ruefully.

Shinkurou just rolled his eyes.

"But does that mean you prefer underaged girls, Shin-kun?"

"No!"

* * *

"Ha! It's finally done...!"

"Good work~ Right on time for lunch break too!"

While a couple of students cheerfully celebrated over their finished works, one particular new student gave a silent glance. Right... have no reason to join in with the crowds.

Shinkurou yawned as he wanted to rest, also hungry. Even though only his arms did the entire work, his eyes were hurting, his head throbbing and he faintly had seizures once in a while.

"Guess I can never get used to stuff in need of brain." He mumbled.

Then the SC president left her chair noisily she inevitably drew his ire.

"Now then, since we're going to have lunch, which do you two prefer? Cafetaria, outside, or here?" Tatenashi offered with her fan unfolding kanjis of 'pick your choice.'

Ichika was the first to react. "Hmh... I... don't think two of them are good. If at the cafetaria, the girls may get rowdy and outside..."

He trailed off as he set his gaze on Shinkurou. The ashen-haired boy was about to sleep in his chair like an old man in a rocking chair.

"...I think it's good if we have a little peace." Ichika advised.

"Good idea, Ichika-kun." Tatenashi nodded approvingly. "Still, I intend to invite Kanzashi-chan and Honne here. Is that okay?"

The First Male IS User didn't take a moment to say his thought out with a wide, innocent smile.

"That's fine. I haven't seen Kanzashi for a while."

 _Umu_ , the older Sarashiki rapped her fan.

For some reasons, Shinkurou woke up. With a half-lidded stare, he saw the SC president pointing the folded fan at him and...

"Well, then! Shin-kun, please get my cute little sister and best friend here!"

" _Hell_. _No_."

 _Why do I have to go pick them up!?_ The tired boy wanted nothing like extra work and he was easily distinguishable if he went outside.

Of course, it's not like he didn't have one or two tricks under his sleeves to move in the shadows but the more frequent he used the same tactic, the easier it would be for a special portion of people to notice it.

 _Heck, I'd be damned if that Bisque Doll chased me all the way here due to the bread crumbs I left behind! The others might follow up!_

"But the one looking forward for her cooking is Shin-kun right? Can you stand not eating Kanzashi-chan's meal after all that?" Tatenashi tilted her head.

"Huh? Kanzashi... cooked?" Ichika wondered aloud.

 _Oh... this fucking imbecile... woman...! She's not going to...!_

"That's right~! And did you know, Shin-kun over there ate a third of it all even though it's made for three people!"

 _Fuck!_

"Huh... is it that delicious?"

"Of course, of course! But since Shin-kun doesn't want to go out so why don't you bring her here, Ichika-kun? That girl will be very happy if you do so."

"Well..."

 _...Gh...! Goddamn it...!_

"Fine...! FINE! If that's what you want, I'll get that small bird and that narcoleptic here! You fuckers can just stay out of this!" The ashen-haired boy shouted with red face.

Not from embarrassment. It was pure anger. He refused to not get his own share and he didn't like how he was spoken as if he was a glutton. Judging from the way she worded it, it might also be a new gossip topic for the students while becoming a blackmail material at the same time.

Either way, refusing meant his reputation and privacy was going to be exploited, then spread widely! _My life is at the brink of oblivion! There's no way I will let that to happen!_

"Have a nice trip~" And for the most obvious thing, Tatenashi Sarashiki waved a handkerchief with the same amused grin flitting across her fair face.

Shinkurou stomped his way out of the office, muttering curses and various violent words. _That bitch is so going to get it... someday for sure...!_

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-  
**

 **Yah, yah... Hello everyone. I have finally been able to release a chapter!**

 **Moving on, we're going to hit combat next. I'd like to caution everyone since I'm a bit troubled in handling aerial dogfight, and weak in writing good combat scene. If anyone has a suggestion, please do tell me in PM or whatever thing you prefer.**


	13. Chapter 12 - The First Combat Class

Thus Friday arrived...

 _God, what is wrong with this misfortune?_ Shinkurou stared dagger at a particular Instructor in training outfits, the woman flashed a sadistic smirk at him before reading aloud the content strapped on her clipboard.

"Now then, as per usual, I'm going to roll call while having all of you in training. The agenda is... battle royale." Chifuyu announced with a dangerously alluring intonation.

A harmonized groan came from everyone. It was quite a sight seeing so many heads hanging down in depression but some looked very eager.

Particularly a German and a Chinese girl.

"Instructor! Question," Bodewig raised a hand, "There is large difference between the practice IS units and the Personal IS. What shall we do with this?"

Chifuyu nodded, "you lots are set in a different group. Still, Shinonono will have to join you as well. The male one."

 _Me?_ Shinkurou nearly had a stroke as he noticed them-the female RCs (except Houki and French girl) glaring venomously at him. Not even the sight of them wearing both swimsuits with thigh-highs mitigated the impression of feral cats discovering an intruder in their oh-so-sacred territory.

Feeling that this would turn sour, he raised a hand. "I have no personal unit, ma'am."

"Your aptitude shows you excel even in practice units. Besides, your personal unit is an older generation so there's no real difference right?"

 _Other than weaponry and specs that are far outclassed in all aspects,_ Shinkurou mused before sighing. In resignation, mind you. This clearly went out-of-control very quickly and from his Instructor's glare, he'd say he's officially, royally SCREWED.

Looking from another side, he could gain some data he usually would risk being killed at for free. A practice match might be nothing but mockery to real combat, yet there were real merits. Also, his overly-eager sister and her childhood friend seemed to expect a lot from him.

Not to mention it's his first debut in official match.

"As if I can allow myself to be looked down upon from the get-go... huh?" Shaking his head, Shinkurou conceded and walked to the separated, smaller group. "Well, I'm here. Don't think much of me."

Huang was the first to respond and she rolled her eyes, "Right, wouldn't even dare."

"Good. _Because I'm not going to hold back in fighting all of you._ "

He announced boldly. It was to the extent that he received exasperated breaths from Houki, Ichika and the French girl. The British RC looked offended, much like the Chinese RC but Bodewig replied calmly.

"Talking big, aren't we? You're using an Uchigane." She said coldly

And that meant a lot, really. Everyone knew that the practice units, the Uchigane was a close-combat specialist, it's equalizer consisted of only a steel high-vibrated katana. The spec was average and it was well-rounded in terms of efficiency as well as maneuverability.

Yet, it lacked the 'punch' the 3rd-generation IS had, which included but not excepting the one-off ability and expansion of BUS slots for more arsenals.

Still, Shinkurou digressed, "Don't underestimate close-combat IS, Bisque Doll. You're in for another world of hurt, otherwise."

With a glance at a certain boy, Bodewig winced before shifting her mood to a more sourer yet quiet to a degree. She looked as if she was upset but she recognized his words.

It seemed she still remembered the VT incident. Good enough so that she could learn from it but not quite there yet. And before Shinkurou wanted to say 'hurry it up', a clipboard hit his head from behind.

"Stop playing around, brat. You've got ten minutes to set up your unit." The Instructor chided.

Excepting Shinkurou, everyone hastily called out if not taking hold of their terminals. The boy lazily watched as plates of armors, machines that seemed to have jumped out from another century ahead and weapons that should have been impossible to be wielded by ordinary humans appeared.

From the left was Blue Tears, the 3rd-Generation IS unit possessed by Britain and piloted by Cecilia Alcott. An extreme long-range specialist equipped with several additional new equipment such as a face helmet acting as a hyper-sensor, a 2m-long laser rifle and a close-ranged knife.

Next was Shen Long, a 3rd-gen unit built by China, piloted by Huang Lin Ying. Judging from how it now had two more floating spherical impact cannons with nothing else to add, her improvement must have concentrated on the internal specs.

After her was the infamous, already heavily modified Raphael Revive Custom-II. With signature orange color and four thrusters that made it as if they were the wings of an angel, the unit boasted a large set of Equalizers that earned it an imposing figure if fought in long-term.

Then there was the black unit from Germany wielded by none other than a child soldier Laura Bodewig, the Schwarzer Regen. Not only did it have an AIC that could force any close-combatant immobile and open as sitting duck, the upgraded unit had a pair of railguns, but there were additional thrusters to make sure her mobility was not impeded during their shooting.

Second last was the only unit of her series, the 4th-generation IS unit Akatsubaki, piloted by his step-sister Houki. While there wasn't much to know about the unit even Shinkurou was unaware of, past recordings and leaked data revealed that she was not only the best unit in basic statistic, but also the most advanced with full fold-out armor and several one-off abilities which included shield energy replenishment and production of long-range weapon similar in concept to her pair.

Lastly, it was a full white unit once piloted by Brynhildr, the Byakushiki. The inheritor was Ichika Orimura, and she was an experimental unit that had undergone her Second Shift. Setting aside the poor energy-draining for the sake of anti-energy property, her weapons such as Yukihira Nigata, Energy Shield, Energy Claw and Charged Particle Cannon posed troublesome threats if left alone. Worse, the unit seemed to have gained a level of development close to his unit's which caused her as an opponent that could never be underestimated.

Unfortunately, the entire Representative Candidates seemed to rely on their weaponry too much. Sure Ichika and Houki counted for decent growth despite their small experiences in the field but they were all not strong enough to match that little obsessive minx in any way. Hell, that Student Council president could make them all run ragged several times over without dropping her paper fan.

Shaking his head, Shinkurou turned around, "you do know you're getting these privileged people to their death quicker, Chifuyu."

If she was shell shocked, the Brynhild didn't show it like a master con-artist or she was simply acting deaf. But clearly, the light in her eyes intensified.

"Same goes to you, idiot. You're worse than them in terms of avoiding danger." She stated.

Well, that I can't disagree about.

"I'm a survivalist. The strong wins all so I'll have to be the strongest." Shinkurou quipped.

He paced toward one of the Uchiganes lined in rows, his choice was the one on the further left but...

"...wait. Why are you here?" He glared at a certain Narcoleptic Ditz.

"Yah yah~ Kuro, your unit's... ready~" So she said with a small smile and swing of sleeved arm.

Again, she looked like she'd fall asleep at any time. Palming his face, he wondered if he had done something stupid to warrant curse that would attract problematic people, especially women to him.

Looking over the unit, he also saw two female students. If he remembered correctly...

"Oui! Transfer student-kun, now you can wipe the floor with this child!"

"Have fun out there!"

...who? Shinkurou turned to the sleeper and she tilted her head ever-so-slowly.

"Friends...?" She said in a very, very unsure tone.

Is she serious?

"Maa, Kuro, just get on~ Instructor will be... upset otherwise."

"...right. You didn't put any self-destruct button on this thing right?"

"...want me to?"

 _So she can?_ Shinkurou nearly spat out but he'd rather go insane after getting his ass kicked up there. Shaking his head, he noted the sleepy girl was an able engineer and programmer considering her way in setting up the flash maintenance.

"Why the extra work?" He asked the obvious question.

Shinkurou knew that IS units needed maintenance in the hangar. The tools were abundant and slight repairs over minor technical faults could be done there, but nothing could be done if the IS was damaged heavily.

Besides, the maintenance done by students served only as temporary fix akin to tuning. So if the damages were beyond acceptable margin, the unit must be delivered to the factory they originated from. Same went to battle preparation so why? Why would the girl assist him?

"Mm... Maa, you've been kind... to Kanzashi-chan." Honne pursed her lips. "Also, _Kuro_ doesn't look... like he's got any friend... at all."

Shinkurou twitched for the yet-another-new nickname, "Like I give a-"

"Kuro, _human can't live all alone_."

The girl who looked like she would fall at any second stood with straightened back. He had to blink his eyes twice to ascertain the reality before him, and in the blank moment-the girl with clear clarity in her eyes grasped his shoulder _without him being alarmed of the gesture_.

"Make sure you get back in one piece after flying, Crow." Honne said, her eyes peering into his. "Then... see ya."

And the girl went past him. Her gait returned back to normal as she wobbled and was accompanied by her friends. They chatted. They walked away. Their voices fading into noise in the background.

But most importantly-

"What in the bloody hell..." Shinkurou muttered while running his hand over his head for several times.

His head hurt. One after another, the problem just increased as if everyone could see through his heart. Was he so easy to read? Or was it related to how these girls piloted the steel birds that seemed as if they were born in the wrong era? And that girl just easily bypassed his reflexive response to foreign touch as if it was the most normal thing!

"Damn it, woman... Why do I have so much bad luck piling on me?" Shinkurou exasperated. "Fine... have it your way. I'm just an easy vagrant alright? You win this time, you narcoleptic ditz."

He finally directed his full gaze toward the machine before him.

Dull grey of steel. Resting like a samurai sitting and waiting for an order. It possessed two iron gauntlets, two armored legs and two add-ons which were steel shields on the shoulders. Considered as an outdated but impressively stable model, the Uchigane was a mass-produced series that could be used with so much ease for its simplicity.

Much to his utter distaste, it was painted with grey as if to match his hair color.

"...If this is what Poetic Justice seems like, looks like I'm going to burn in the inferno." He sighed as he did what he always did.o

And so the boy raised his palm, reaching forward... and he reacted with the warmachine known as Infinite Stratos in a burst of light.

* * *

 _She was not like her sisters._

 _She was different. Stripped from the path of evolution, she could only be a practice unit. Forever she will be in this state as if it jeered on her misfortune._

 _Another day and another contact. Another connection yet not with result. Without able to touch, without even laying a hand to forge a simple bond... just like this one._

"Sorry, but I'm not them."

 _A caw was heard. She looked up, finding ashen feathers floating down in this space only she could rule. Her eyes widened as for once, in the static sky was one object._

 _Flying with its own wings, a grey crow spread his wings like a ray of hope._

* * *

"Link... established."

He breathed out, feeling the vertigo was going to take him down. But his first link with any other unit always created this response, a stinging sense as if one's entire senses were sharpened to the limits in one moment before being readjusted so suddenly.

Along with the twinge of headache, he gained endless streams of information. Anything, basically.

Fuel efficiency. The control units. The FCS. IFF and sonar. The Equalizer. BUS slot. HUD, radio to infrared transmission. And most importantly...

"Shield points... 300. ETA to automatic shutdown is... well, it's just half an hour huh?" Shinkurou sighed as he willed his 'body' to move.

The creaking of steel could be heard. As he rose up, he felt his right hand gripping the hilt of the heavy hi-frequency katana. The weight, size, length, maximum counts of vibrations per minute, cooldown period, and all kind of information flowed directly into his brain.

"Decent at least." Craning his head, he found the other personal units already in the sky and making a small circle.

Hm...? The group was divided into two with uneven numbers.

"...let's see. Guess that I should try my luck then." Shinkurou decided, and floated to the group that had less numbers.

The PIC, commonly known as Passive Inertia Canceler was a mechanism which encompassed the pilot with nano molecules that protected them and kept them defying gravity. Shield points were also directly related to the nano molecules since they acted for Absolute Defense system.

In case the Shield points dropped to zero, the system would terminate all movements and prioritized the safety of the pilot. A very nifty program but being a sitting duck would cause so much repercussions in the battlefield. Like imprisonment for information disclosure, for example.

"Uchigane, if you're going to fall, I'm going down with you." Shinkurou said, "You and I are one now."

The whirring of the thrusters echoed, the engine vibrated as if humming and replying to his words. Closing his eyes momentarily, the boy nodded and took off to the sky.

"Late! How long are you going to make us wait?!" So shouted one twintailed girl.

 _Oh, boy..._

Ichika raised a hand, "Hey, Rin. Shinkurou here piloted IS only once like me. Cut him some slacks."

"Ugh...! Then he's going to be with YOUR group! I'll make sure I win this time, just you wait Ichika!" The girl jeered then glared at him before flying off to her...

"Group?" Shinkurou tilted his head. "I thought this is supposed to be a Battle Royale?"

A red unit descended, and Houki chimed in. "I don't really understand too but they suddenly decided to form a group. Even Charlotte as well."

The red, the white and the dull grey stared at the preparing group. The entire students from foreign lands were aligned together as if they were scurrying away from their love interests. Even though they were glaring darkly at Houki, they seemed slightly reluctant for deciding this all.

 _Probably something related to a maiden's heart,_ Shinkurou thought with one eye closed. It took no-brainer just to assume that there was something happening in the past which led to the distance between the girls and the dense prince charming. _Not that I have any interest for watching some cheap soap operas._

"Outnumbered and outgunned. Do you two have any long-range weapon?" Shinkurou looked at Houki and Ichika.

"Byakushiki has energy blaster but..." Ichika trailed off.

"If it's Shield replenishment, leave it to me." Houki complemented.

The ex-Vagrant simply nodded. _A well-balanced combination._

Considering the specs of the Byakushiki and the Akatsubaki, his Uchigane would merely be a liability. Even more, with the match set by the Brynhildr, there was no doubt they would face the other group before picking off one after another with time as the accelerator. And what was best other than getting rid of larger numbers in one sweep before dealing with a small civil war? If so...

"I'll be the bait." Shinkurou raised a hand while suggesting a very absurd thing.

The couple almost took a double take had their senses not been sharpened via their units. Ichika displayed a clear sign of worry and confusion, while Houki knitted her brows together.

"Now why would you do that? Shinkurou, you're not going to aim for victory?" She accused.

Still, Shinkurou admitted the girl was sharp. Extremely sharp even, like a blade of a sword. His step-sister seemed to have an inkling of what meaning his stunt would carry out... and he was glad she had that trait.

"Blood really runs in the family huh?" Shinkurou chuckled sardonic ally before wiping that expression off his face, "But no. We don't have much time to spare, and I sure as hell don't want to fail while being under Instructor's watch. I'm going to take out as many as I can while allowing you to have more times to deal with the rest."

"Eh? Isn't that way too reckless?" Ichika quipped.

" "Look at yourself more, you dumbass." "

The other Male IS pilot shrunk backward with eyes clearly wanting to say anything against the united front of the newly formed siblings. Unfortunately for him, there was nothing that he could say since his past behavior was nothing but the exact epitome of recklessness.

"Maa, I'm sure you two have more chances than I do. I still don't have my personal unit so this is the best I can do with this one." Shinkurou told the two as he traced the hilt of the holstered katana. "Don't need to worry about me. I know when to quit anyway so just go all-out. Or rather, I'm relying on the opening move."

"Still..." Houki put a hand under her chin, close to her lips as if she was frustrated.

The two exchanged gazes for a while. As if confirming his resolve, the girl finally shook her head and put on a steeled expression.

"Fine. But don't you dare to give up halfway through. No one of the Shinonono is permitted to go down without a decent fight."

Shinkurou smirked, "Right. I can clearly see that, sis. So Ichika, first move goes to you."

 _Me_ , the legendary blockhead pointed at himself. Shinkurou nudged as the hand he used was the left hand which had both energy shield and particle cannon implemented after Byakushiki underwent her Second Shift.

"Your equipment is maxed on destructiveness after all. I wouldn't want to get hit by that barrier-blasting weapons." Shinkurou added. "Well, _as long as it hits_ so you don't need to worry about accuracy this time. It's fine as long as it's flashy."

Ichika winced, "Ouch. Setsura's weaponry isn't a flare though."

"Any weapon isn't worth a thing if it's not handled expertly." Shinkurou shrugged.

"Sorry Ichika, but I'll have to agree about that." Houki crossed her arms and nodded thoughtfully.

And the other boy, cornered pitifully like that sunk his shoulders in despair.

"Oh well. Make sure you get your roles right. See ya later."

The ashen-haired boy turned his back against the two, and faced the other group. There was no fear in his eyes, nor in his gesture. Even when his fingers trembled inside the steel gauntlet...

"I feel excited!" Shinkurou laughed and hit the accelerator to the maximum.

Thus the Crow spread his steel grey wings, his talons revealed to the world.

* * *

"Hoo... so that's how he flies." Orimura Chifuyu commented from the ground, her shinai tapping her shoulder as she observed the Battle Royale between the Representative Candidates.

The Uchigane was an outdated model sure, but skills and experience always outdid armaments. She could see the brat toying with the four foreign RCs by flitting and darting like a fly. _And no, that's my honest opinion._

"He sure likes being a nuisance." Chifuyu mused as she heard Huang Lin Ying cursing for the umpteenth time.

"How the hell is he so agile-ah, wait! Cecilia, stop stealing my thunder!"

"Eei! You noisy Chinese! Stop getting in my range, you brutish shorty!"

...hum. Without common enemy, they also have an incredibly low sense of team coordination without prior preparation. Unlike those two, though...

"Fire!" Ichika suddenly attacked with his particle cannon shooting down.

The four cried out as they dispersed in various directions. Considering the lethal threat of the pillar of Barrier Void blast, it was a sound move for anyone to flee. But because of it-

"Sorry, Charlotte. This too is a match I cannot lose!" Houki exclaimed as she swung down her beam-coated katanas to strike down the dazed Dunois.

"Khg...!?"

"Charlotte...!?" Laura cried out and intended to rush to her roommate.

If not for Shinkurou looming to cut the path off, streaking to the sky before cutting corners and rocketed down with his katana slashing Schwarzer Regen's cannon in halves. As an explosion erupted in midair, the silver-haired former student of Chifuyu left the smokes only to be forced to use her energy hand blade to defend from another slash of katana.

"You've got a more pressing matter to deal with, Bisque doll!" The ashen-haired boy shouted with mocking smirk.

"Why you amateur...!" Laura hissed furiously as before she could use her AIC, the boy retreated at full speed, and the two quickly played a cat-and-mouse game.

Huh, so two are being dealt with, and they're pretty much out of their depths. What about the other two...

"Reiraku Byakuya, activate!" Ichika stated as he soared and used Ignition Boost to cut the distance between him and Alcott and Huang.

While Chifuyu had to blink in the sudden big moves her younger brother had executed, the plan was extraordinarily effective as the opponents didn't expect it and were forced to flee as far as they could. In doing so, Alcott went in separate way and Ichika quickly went after her, slicing scattered Bits in the process while ignoring those too far from his reach.

Chifuyu didn't miss his clenched fist though. She narrowed her eyes as she wished to cut into the communication channel so that she could berate her sibling's uncured reckless tendency. However...

"Gah?! Wh-what...!?" Somewhere else in the sky, Huang shrieked when she was about to pursue Ichika only to crash into Bodewig who tried to retreat from Shinkurou's range.

"Rin...!? Get off me!"

"It's you that's supposed to...! Why are you here!?"

 _...that brat. He seriously liked pestering people huh?_ Chifuyu was about to exasperate had she not noticed the brat's step-sister activating her fold-out armor. After dispatching her previous opponent, her mechanical bows shot beam arrows rapidly at the two.

"Oh. A nice planning." Chifuyu nodded for the first time, approving the strategy as she realized the core of the three-man group.

It was Shinkurou.

The brat actually herded the opponents in place to slice the enemy's overall strength into desirable chunks. Cecilia with her poor close combat capability against the extreme close-combat specialist Ichika, Houki with her mostly unknown but superior arsenals against Dunois who was a jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none, with Shinkurou against two girls who mostly became predictable if their switches were flipped.

"So the brain is the brat. Looks like Ichika and Houki already established a good start with him." Chifuyu commented, then shaking her head.

Honestly speaking, they were still too simple. Too much problems and they had their own problem. But most of all, the girls were driven to improve just because of their love interest, which also annoyed Chifuyu very much. Probably, without Ichika around and they would remain as third-rate hatchling forever, though Bodewig and Shinonono would still be somewhat better in some aspects.

However, a fresh blood joined the fray just when the idiots were caught up by their own obsession. It was a good opportunity, also a way to let new wind to exchange the air.

"Hopefully, he can do better than holding back if it could teach them a lesson." Chifuyu smirked as a strong glint appeared in her eyes.

Let it be said that the Brynhildr didn't win her title by completely destroying obstacles every time she flew.

* * *

 **-Author's Notes-**

 _"My apology, I couldn't write the introductory combat well."_

It's just so hard to use technical details and the IS has certain perks about it unlike those relying on fantasy or supernatural elements. Unlike some fics such as 'Truth be Told', I don't have any earth-shattering convenient power ups that could breach rules of physics with so much ease, nor do I have any desire to make an OC so _**goddamn-OP**_ he can literally tramples everyone. And so... I gave Shinkurou the role of 'battlefield tactician'-vibe like the Black-hearted Glasses. Not that I intend to fully exploit him in that position but considering this is his first match and using an older generation _without_ ranged support, he can do only _this_ much.

So, our MC has become a troll eh? He has bad habit inherited from his adoptive sister alright.


	14. Chapter 13 - A Slight Change

_Fighting with others... I admit, it's a strange change of pace._

Shinkurou hovered before darting away from the trajectory path of a railgun. It was quickly followed by scarlet flame-clad impact bullets, courtesy to Meatbun. While they were damn fast, they had linear paths so it was easy to predict the next rounds by carefully observing the cannons. _Still, these two are even more persistent than earlier._

"You still want to get back at me for leading you in, ladies?" Shinkurou decidedly did what he was best at. "I must say I'm flattered to be pursued by two beautiful flowers like you!"

While usually most women would get angry or scowl hatefully for the blatant sarcastic comments, the seemingly honest flattery struck the duo quite easily if their reddening faces were some other indications. Meatbun was quicker to response by shooting an impact bullet that grazed Shinkurou's shoulder pauldron.

"That almost hit my head. You serious about that one huh?" Shinkurou tilted his head before sliding to the left to avoid another impact bullet.

"Shut up! Go to hell, you bastard!" The girl sporting twintails shouted while taking off to pursue after him.

Abandoning long-range combat, she attacked with her Chinese scimitars in a flurry. But she didn't attack randomly. Shinkurou could notice the finesse of her every swing, the blades aimed only at the vital areas to give an illusion of fears against hits that may exceed the Shield's tolerance.

And to keep up that striking impression, she chose to swing her scimitars to the utmost of her strength, bestowing a remarkable impact whenever it struck. _Like a ferocious Dragon, huh?_

"How fitting, but you should pay attention to your language." Shinkurou remarked as he swung his katana to deflect the scimitars.

From the left to the right, a stab and a downward slash, circular slashes to chaining combos.

Considering the sizes of the scimitars, he didn't expect her to keep up with him while flying without clear directions. Shinkurou was not an expert in be it ranged or close-quarter combats as he was more like a midfielder but that didn't mean his skills were shabby.

He chose the most efficient path, picking the methods that would take less energy to swing the katana around and parried the attacks aimed to crush his Shield. Be that as it may, his Shield Points were slowly decreasing.

"Ha! Is that all you can do, you wuss!" Meatbun yelled only to receive a straight kick at the abdomen. "Gyah!"

"Language, please. You're already 16, girl." Shinkurou rolled his eyes as he checked on his radar with a glance.

 _Didn't expect her to continue attacking with her scimitars alone... I should've used a mixture of martial arts to end this earlier - oh?_

He saw two red dots looming towards him, both giving out a small text box that told him 'WD' initials. Narrowing his eyes, Shinkurou lowered his katana and bent his knees, increasing his flying speed with a sudden boost. Blue jet flared behind him as he streaked across the sky horizontally before scaling upwards like a rocket.

It was then he saw two red flashes from the right and left edge of his peripheral sight.

"Wired Daggers huh? But the speed is just so-so." Shinkurou noted.

And when he glimpsed over the Bisque Doll, he noticed her smirking. Wha-

 _"Shinkurou!"_ A yell roared through the intercom but a blue light already basked his vision from the side.

*BOOM!* An energy beam struck the Uchigane. It was a direct hit from the side, provided by someone who was getting cornered in the other edge of the arena.

* * *

"Buah?" Rin blinked, unable to process the sudden silence and happening after she recovered from being spun around in the air.

Several seconds passed, then she noticed the source of the beam and found one British IS pilot smiling proudly in a stationary state, her remaining two gun bits floating in front of her.

"Ha! That's one down finally! Now you see the difference of our level, Rin!" Cecilia exclaimed while brushing her blonde hair and whipped it to the back.

"Y-you just stole my kill! Cecilia, you kleptomaniac!" Rin roared.

"What did you say?! And here I tried to be so kind in defeating your foe after you got your butt handed to you, ungrateful ingrate!"

As if a switch flipped, the situation devolved into constant bickering between two Representative Candidates...

"Cecilia, _dodge!_ " Laura screamed.

 _What,_ the pilot of Blue Tears uttered but she was too late as a white bird flashed down like a lightning from above, slicing her last two optical drones in one clean strike. She couldn't even react properly as two energy arrows, red-colored, struck her from the back and destroyed her missile pods with unimaginable accuracy.

"This is over!" Byakushiki took a sharp U-turn from below and activated Ignition Boost.

His form clad in golden light, the white steel bird's Reiraku Byakuya became a bright blue line that seemed as if it cut the sky, the beating winds, and the stationary sniper.

"No, way-"

Cecilia's armor burst in halves, StarDust Shooter leaving her armored gauntlet's grasp, dropping down before she too followed like a swatted fly. Smokes trailed from her IS as she then embraced the earth like a small meteorite.

After the tremor that spread across the practice arena, piles of dirt, smokes and dust dissipated, leaving Blue Tears sparking blue branches of electricity with Cecilia's consciousness lost completely.

"Oh, here's another defeated mutt." Chifuyu commented, crossing the empty box next to Cecilia's name in the attendee list indifferently. "Dunois is already down too, so that makes _five left for the count._ "

It was unknown why she left out the last segment of her sentence through the intercom. But Laura gasped in realization, turning for 180 degrees in place and launched her arm-mounted beam saber to block against a swung katana.

"Goddamn it, Chifuyu! You don't give out the dumb big clues out loud!" Shinkurou drawled, looking worse for the wear.

 _He survived direct hit from Cecilia!?_

"Khg...! Yo-you persistent man...!" Laura growled as she tried to overpower her opponent with no avail.

Others might have not noticed but the fact that Shinkurou bore the sun above his head, his thruster flaring to the point of emitting orange lines of electricity as well as his gritted teeth simply displayed his efforts to use everything for his advantages. Although, this also meant he was already at his limits considering his broken skirt guards, missing shoulder guard and pauldron and cracked katana.

His IS condition alone already told everyone that both his PIC, also his Shield Points were already at the red. _One push should be enough to defeat him...!_

"Got you!" Laura exclaimed, activating the AIC projector.

Shinkurou grunted as his Uchigane froze like a statue. Unable to even move or blink his eyes, he was trapped in place as if a wall of wind was blocking his advance.

Laura refused to let this chance pass by.

"This time for sure...!" She yelled, _bashing_ her opponent with both of her arm-mounted beam sabers.

The Uchigane was blasted away and when distances were made, Schwarzer Regen's twin .80 caliber railguns _roared._

 _"Gaaaaaah!"_ Shinkurou howled as the first contact with the rail bullet consumed him in flowery explosions, which was then followed by several smaller scale explosions.

The IS plummeted like a damaged warplane, crashing down not unlike Cecilia's Blue Tears. With a crater and black smokes rising, the boy and his IS were obscured from even her enhanced vision. Even so, thermal signatures identified him as the personification of a healthy living being so...

"It's my victory, transfer student." Laura chuckled. "That wasn't bad at all-"

 _"Ignoring the remaining threats is quite unlike of you, Laura."_

A katana rested next to her neck, the blade possessing the intent to hold her as hostage. Laura scoffed, but smirked nonetheless.

"Of course not, Houki," Laura paused, noting two red blade bits flying by in different directions which divided her attentions to three.

Houki was already prepared to deal with the AIC for having already deployed them. Laura was amazed how much the girl had improved after receiving her Personal IS. While her AIC projector could nullify both projectile and direct attack at her wills, she must put all of her focus in one direction to make sure the projector working optimally. The tactics Ichika and Charlotte came up with to counter it was to divide her attentions, thus rendering the AIC unstable and unusable.

This was done similarly by Houki through the usage of her blade bits, which specialized in aerial combat. By making them hovering in her blind spots, she would have no choice but to process the information Schwarzer Regen received and focused on one side, thus leaving her incapable of dealing with the rest. However, Laura was a soldier; a fellow warrior even if under different contexts.

 _What will she do if she simply cowered before a powerful opponent every time?_

"It's two-on-two then!"

Six Wired Daggers were ejected from Laura's Schwarzer Regen and deflected the two blade bits. Before she could use AIC, Houki had already blasted away with fold-out armor activated on the fly. _As expected of Tabane Shinonono's invention, that acceleration is truly a level above all 3rd-generation IS._

Confirming her current equipment was not enough to surpass her opponent, Laura reeled the daggers back in and raised her railguns. Ruby red eye took in the red camellia's figure, with a lock-on HUD displayed on her iris.

 _If close-combat cannot be done, then how about long-range?!_

* * *

"Gah, that was hell." Shinkurou mumbled as the sky above was painted with rings of fire, energy beams, _also_ orange sparks of clashing metals.

He sighed as his IS had become a lump of metal sticking him to the ground like a king sitting in a throne made from rubble. The Shield Points were at absolute zero, and his body was sore all over. Other than the damage reports, he realized he had overdone it by forcing the IS to move even though some attacks pierced through his Shielding.

"Still worth my time to get real data. Now I have more than half of them." Shinkurou mused with tilted head and closed eyes.

However, he heard approaching footsteps. Reopening his eyes, he found out a blonde girl with a training uniform checkered with orange edges leaning down into the crater he just created.

"Hey," Her purple-colored eyes blinked, "Are you alright? Do you need any help?"

Shinkurou loudly groaned, but he knew that he couldn't do anything in this state so he met her gaze, and simply nodded.

"The training units aren't designed to be removed with the pilot's hands. I'll ask for help if it can get me out of this damn crater."

The France's Representative Cadet giggled, her voice sounding like the sweet melody of an angel. Though unfazed, Shinkurou recognized that she had some features other women would be jealous of, with traits that would certainly make men to fall head-over-heels for.

 _Not that I give a care... Right now, I want to take a nap._

"Alright, I'll help! Hang on for a minute, okay?" Charlotte Dunois slid down to the bottom of the crater and began her work.

Shinkurou sighed, "At least you didn't say it will take a second. Manual ejection is just way too complex to execute in that time frame."

"Right, right, here you go!"

* * *

When he left the crater along with the French girl - _Dunois, was it_ \- he gazed up momentarily.

Streaks of white and red, black and brown-red. Each flying to outdo another while using their own weaponry. Two swords-wielding fighters, one all-rounder, and one optimized close-range combatant. equipped with ranged support weaponry.

Despite the differences of skills and specs, they flew as if there was a rhythm guiding their movements. As if the quarter was dancing on a vast blue stage.

"...Infinite Stratos, huh?" Shinkurou mused quietly, recalling why would the IS be used as a form of sports and global tournaments rather than tools for modern warfare.

Admittedly, the latter promised much, much more credibility since IS held enormous destructive capabilities. One was already more than enough to deal with hundreds of nuclear missiles, several aegis battleships, a dozen of frigates and a squadron of fastest raptors so if they were used in battlefields...

 _Huh._ Maybe the world's end was far closer than he had once thought.

 _"Oy, Shinonono."_ A voice called out.

Shinkurou was about to ignore it but knowing who was yelling out his name, he turned and faced _the_ Instructor...

"That was more underwhelming than I thought. What the hell did you do for the past ten years?" She asked, almost straight to the point of calling him 'You suck'.

Shinkurou grunted, "I got thrown here after getting my entire body in surgery for medical purposes. Please confirm that to my physician if you have any complaint, _Instructor_."

"Your physician is not a legal one, neither is Tabane," Chifuyu chided, "If you're unwell, then say that before you entered my class."

 _Ow, that was quite logical and sensible of you Chifuyu._ Had the woman not been scowling like the angry Ni'O statue, of course but Shinkurou could only give a deadpan stare.

"You do know that I can't just fake my credibility as 'the Second Male IS Pilot', right...?"

To be frank, he was quite certain the board directors of the Academy would want to know whether or not he was qualified to pilot an IS, even if he was an adopted member of the Shinonono. Considering the current laws of the world, the social hierarchy and the common sense held by young women who knew nothing of the world before the invention of IS, Shinkurou noticed there was a hidden value in his position as a male capable of riding the most powerful warmachine in the world.

Politically, he was the leverage men had against women who reigned at the top. He was the sole hope for a chance of gender equality in a global society where women are valued higher than men. In the military's eyes, he was a great combat asset that if a way was found, other males could pilot IS just like most women could. And in the social medias as well as economy wheel, he was obviously an eyecandy or a worldwide celebrity.

 _"Are you listening or not!?"_

*SMACK!* One clipping board struck down his head, jerking his thoughts back to reality.

"Next time you spaced out, you're going to use powered armor to marathon around the school grounds." Chifuyu warned.

Shinkurou scowled, "I didn't know you're into sweaty, muddy men in mech suit, Instructor."

"Enough complaining. Now get going. There are still some classes left for you lots." Chifuyu snorted.

"So you don't deny nor acknowledge it..."

This was perhaps Shinkurou's newest discovery after being introduced to the older Orimura sibling in that rainy night.

On a side note, the powered armor was basically that. An exoskeleton frame meant for construction works. It weighed like boulders if worn without activating the electrical reactor and it had muscle-assist system where it allowed greater strength to be used without burdening the body very much.

Some said the tight-fitting design was meant to further synchronize with the wearer's body but Shinkurou could only see it as a bondage uniform for questionable purposes.

"Alright. You're going to run around the academy in powered armor then. Five laps without a break."

 _Maybe not. She's just been waiting for the bait to be bitten. Damn you, you sadistic woman!_

* * *

Late in the evening, after classes were done and his punishment cleared, one sweats-drenched Shinkurou entered his room. It was surprisingly empty, devoid of any presence at all.

Considering time was about to strike 9 o'clock, he summed it up as the his roommate attending dinner or something else. Maybe dealing with his Harem.

"I really can't understand how many want a Harem with the others unsatisfied for having one." Shinkurou shrugged, taking a set of change of clothes along with the utensils for bathing. "Welp, time to strike the bathhouse."

He traversed through the more-than-empty, less-than-crowded hallway. He did pass by several female students of his year but he caught them blank-faced after he was seen.

 _...well, maybe it's just a coincidence. Or maybe just like Chifuyu, there are women who like men who worked out until they got all muddy in their efforts._

"Tch, damn hormone-induced reactions. Teenagers are such a pain to deal with..." Just as Shinkurou snarled and descended down the stairs, he was met with Ichika and his friends.

" _Whoa?!_ Shinkurou, you look like you just got caught up under the rain!" His roommate pointed out.

Of course, those irresponsible words triggered various reactions but his childhood friend - _no, not Meatbun_ \- glared at him reproachfully. Strangely enough, Dunois and Alcott were beet red in the faces, Meatbun looked as if she was reminded of something before but couldn't remember the details, while Bisque Doll nodded in acknowledgement.

Oh, also, there was that Little Blue Bird, but she was spacing out just like those girls in the hallway did. The saving grace would be how the damned shark was not around to reveal her illustrative folded paper fan.

"Nah, not like that," Shinkurou waved a hand after deciding he was wasting his time by observing people's reactions, "Instructor just handed me the mandate to run around the academy in powered armor. _Five goddamned laps_."

Most of the Representative Candidates paled at his deflection. Even Ichika winced as he looked apologetic for a moment.

"Seriously...? How are you still walking around as if it's nothing? If it were me, my legs would have been jelly after the third laps." The pilot of Byakushiki commented.

Shinkurou did not neglect that honesty. The boy was quite fit enough to do as he said, but he would no longer be able to move after reaching the third laps. As far as he knew, that counted for the barest minimum requirement to join the infantry forces.

"You'll get used to it quickly if you just regulate your breathing and maintain your posture." Shinkurou muttered. "Speaking of which, which one won the Battle Royale?"

For some reasons, his older step-sister brightened to the point of puffing her well-endowed chest forward. Ichika quickly averted his eyes, two with lesser specs scowling visibly at the display, one heaving a troubled a smile and another fumed. The underclassman was obviously clueless. _She's not even in the same year._

"Well, after the tall hurdles, I attained victory at last." Houki announced. "It is a great feeling to know my training have all been paid in full today."

So it was her victory. Shinkurou didn't expect her much since he thought the one with fairest chance to grasp victory was Bisque Doll with her professional analytical mind and experiences. However, he did pestered her by luring her into a trap, confronting her that she was forced to use close combat arms and AIC, then made her waste some precious railgun bullets.

The semifinal stage which turned into a tag-team match obviously went in favors for Houki and Ichika, considering the two were very much in tune with each other unlike the other duo. Houki too had the one-off ability to replenish her energy so after Bisque Doll and Meatbun were eliminated, Ichika would have less than minimum Shield Points to expend for.

"Uh-huh, I see. Good for you, sis. Well, I've got homework to do and I haven't eaten dinner. _See you guys later._ " Shinkurou went past the group and headed towards the bathhouse.

Silence ensued. Quietness endured. After more than halfway, the ashen-haired boy's feet halted.

"Wait, did I just say 'see you guys later'?" Shinkurou wondered aloud.

How come? He usually reserved informality and some signs of trust only after he got his fair shares in dealing with an accompaniment. Hell, even if they did survive several missions together, he wouldn't care deeply since there could be a mission where he had to kill someone he knew... Which he received fairly often.

In some ways, it was also because he piloted an IS prototype that he was hunted down by those he once cooperated with. All because they were the closest people who knew his abilities, skills, and limitations from up close. All because some assholes had the gall to believe he would have some form of emotional attachments that gave a shred of hope to the contracted mercenaries and/or assassins.

Still, he had casually told that sentence so offhandedly...

"Ah... Motherfucking asshole," Shinkurou cursed, "My brain's getting poisoned by the atmosphere. Goddamn freaking hormones-induced puberty period!"

* * *

 **-Author's Nonsense-**

 _"Apology for the wait. I've been la*cough*busy*cough*."_

The real reason would be how I couldn't motivate myself to write the chapter. Haven't got the drive and I was thinking in what way I should end the battle. It turned like _this_. Dunno why though.

So, we can see our MC got his ass handed to him. Of course he will, considering he used _a freaking_ prototype IS (0.5 Generation) and piloted an Uchigane. While the unit is versatile and balanced, the Equalizer is fixed so it can't hold any weapon other than a katana. We're also after World Purge so all Personal Is (minus Mysterious Lady and Uchigane Nishhiki) have been upgraded. Anyone thinking 'who the hell brings a sword to a gunfight'?

But the rules are rules so you've got this result coming from the start. Your options are fairly limited if you have an equivalent of wooden sword, and the Crow doesn't have anything like Barrier Void ability *looks at Byakushiki*. My assumption of why close combat equipment is still used is because ranged equipment have larger energy consumption, and CQC deals more damages (blunt traumas can still be passed through the Shield).

The training practice for students in canon is also very funny. You don't swing sword over and over as training if you're using hi-tech flying machine, unless you want to grasp the correct balance and footing but IS is _technically_ oriented for aerial combats if not space exploration. Also, why the heck are the students using Uchigane when Revive is another alternative that can use wider range of arsenals? It's already mentioned Revive is an available training unit series...

Must be Japanese logic. Most definitely. Btw, Houki didn't outright do a sneak attack since she has strictly taught herself to not be a cowardly self. That's just how kendo philosophy will mold you (I'm a proper practitioner so this isn't BS).

Anyway, the opening battle's over. Let's see what will await the Crow now that he realized something inside him began to stir (no, not _that kind_ of stir).


	15. Chapter 14 - Weekend and Refreshment

Shinonono Shinkurou slumped his head on the cool surface of mahogany desk, his soul leaking out from his mouth when he groaned like an undead.

"Sunday huh...?" He mumbled regretfully before slamming his nose to the desk.

Once. Twice. Thrice... Now he felt blood was going to flow out from his nose. Choosing to stop himself from committing yet another self-harm, he decidedly stuck his chin back onto the desk.

"Err... Shinkurou, you alright there?" Someone asked.

It was... A boyish voice that sounded as if it came straight from a boy. Huh. As if he didn't know the person when the Academy only have _two male_ _students_.

"What do you want...?" The silver-haired boy asked Ichika with a deadpan glare.

"Err, huh? Nothing serious. You're just... Acting weird ever since the practice match." Ichika answered while fidgeting.

The other boy snorted dismissively, and plopped his head back on the desk.

"It's nothing serious. Just ignore me."

Shinkurou wasn't going to waste more brain cells right now. He'd like to not deal with anything complicated beyond basic equation, and the denser-than-brick-head over here was obviously sitting in a magnitude higher than his. _In fact, I would very much like to not get involved with this one right now._

"...well, if that's what you want then." From the corner of his sight he saw Ichika shrugging then walking towards the door…

 _Huh? Why haven't I noticed him wearing casual outfits?_ Raising an eyebrow, Shinkurou's mind shifted gears reflexively before shutting down halfway through. _Oh, why do I even_ need _to try?_

"Got a date waiting, kid?" Shinkurou called out.

His roommate immediately flinched.

"What? No! Of course not!" Ichika shouted in denial.

The other boy nearly snorted but chose to only roll his eyes to the side. _Of course… It's_ always _the others who will do the initiative._

Shinkurou wasn't a fool. In fact, he was probably the most privy to any personal information in regard of everyone else. Excluding himself and his black history, he had been browsing the library and gathered stuff to research, all under the pretext of 'self-study' and 'taking a nap on classes.'

And while it was mostly useless, he always _stumbled_ upon trivial information about the Personal IS Users, especially the pilot of the White One. But before he entered that accursed hellhole, Shinkurou immediately stopped his brain from working. _Nothing good will ever come out from salvaging this blockhead's private life._

"I guess getting the cream-of-the-crops isn't always the best thing huh…"

"What's that supposed to mean, oi!"

The roommate could only heave a tired sigh even if it made him seeming like a melancholic old man. He was needlessly exhausted mentally and he wanted to sleep. Unfortunately, every time he closed his eyes, he felt the hairs on his back standing upright. It made him really, really uncomfortable since that was basically his warning alarm that saved his ass most often than not.

And yet, there was no clue over the unknown threat. The feeling of being a headless chicken in a slaughterhouse for a long period of time would of course stress him to the brink of insanity.

"Whatever. If you want to go then leave already. Don't waste my time." Shinkurou waved a hand as if trying to drive out the younger Orimura sibling.

"Not like I have any interest anyway." The black-haired boy grunted in response. "You know, you should at least kick back and relax once in a while, Shinkurou. You're going to get bald quickly otherwise."

 _Hmph. Look who's talking, Mr. Popular Guy._

And so, the door was closed, leaving the sole occupant of the room with a long-awaited sense of tranquility. Spinning in the wheel chair, Shinkurou's dark eyes caught the greenery outside basking in the strong sunlight that everything almost looked pure white.

"Then again, today's annoyingly hot. Why is that guy going out anyway?" He tilted his head before shaking it twice in dismissal.

He wasn't interested. What kind of life others had, he was never interested in understanding or even experiencing it. It was far too bothersome and he preferred solitude since being alone would permit him to lower his arms. Yes, there was nothing better than moments where there was no need to harm all regardless of who or what they are.

"Talk about some chronic paranoia." The former fugitive rubbed his temples. "I've been in the battlefields for too long, it seems."

When he recalled what Ichika had said, he actually considered it for the briefest moment. Shinkurou had to admit that he was staying too much on guard that it tolled his mind. It happened far too often when he encountered shady organizations such as the Phantom Task, since he had a treasure nobody else possessed.

However, he was no longer in a dark alley where dead people could be ignored and remained unknown until some curious souls stuck out their noses in places they didn't belong to. He wasn't on a massacre ground where madness controlled people to kill each other all day long. He was not even in a place ruined by plague, war, poverty, or any kind of chaos all souls could suffer from.

"Putting it that way... Is this how true peace feels?" He asked nobody in particular and gazed solemnly at the ceiling.

Seconds passed, but the answer did not arrive. The room was cold due to the air conditioner blowing quite hard, and thus the only sounds he could hear was from the machine itself. Even if he strained his hearing, the dormitory was practically empty since all students were encouraged to go back home during the holidays and weekends.

 _It's hot outside. It must be unbearably hot for anyone to do outdoor activities. But..._

"...ah. Looks like I really am in need of fresh air."

With that thought slipping out from his mouth, the boy had chosen what task was needed to fill the rest of his boring weekend.

* * *

"In the azure, huh?" Shinkurou tilted his head, observing the expanse of deep blue which stretched endlessly.

From left to right, up and down, everything was colored with blue hue that he almost thought he was in a different world. The sky reflected the blue of the sea, as did the sea reflect the blue of the sky.

While standing with the seawater washing over his ankles, he craned his head upward, gripping the cap he put on to shield his eyes from the exposure of blaring sunlight. His short sleeved shirts worn in a very loose manner, and the strong winds struck his body to make its tails flutter around.

He inhaled through his nose, tasting the saltiness of the air. Stirring his toes, he could feel the cold water absorbed by the fabric of his jeans, and closing his eyes, the moving ocean waves resounded like an aria. As he processed more and more information, his lips twitched upwards ever-so-slightly, the silver-haired boy then slowly pulled off his cap and permitted the wind to dance with his unruly silver hair.

 _It's cold. It's warm. It's so comfortable I wish time could stop still so that I can embrace this moment forever._

But then he heard a caw.

"...ah." The boy opened his eyes, catching a glimpse of large white V shape crossing over the blue sky.

He reflexively raised a hand, stretching it upward to catch the white bird. The seabird cawed once again, as if calling out for its kin within the lonesome blue world. Yet the bird soared, flapped its wide wings to dive deeper into the azure horizon.

It left his reach. It was never within his grasp. And it flew as if leaving him behind. It was just like...

 _"Oi. What are you doing there, you fool. This place is off-limits for students."_

Shinkurou stilled for a moment. Who was it? That voice... _Ah, so that's it._

"Aren't you going back home? Your younger brother is probably already riding the monorail by now." Shinkurou glanced back, finding one Orimura Chifuyu boring a glare at his back.

With a hand on her hip and while still wearing her business suit, the woman was a stark contrast against the white sands below her black high-heeled shoes. She stood out more than a sore thumb, to be perfectly honest.

But the woman scoffed. "That can wait. The problem I have right now is dealing with a fool who seems as if he preferred to be an outcast rather than mingling with other people."

"Don't push it. Different strokes are for different people." Shinkurou snorted in reply.

He once again turned back to his default state and observed the seabird. _Ah, it's already a small white dot huh?_

"Still as cheeky as ever. Just what have you been doing for the last decade?" The HR teacher inquired.

Although, both of them knew that it was just a question. No matter how demanding the Brunhilde was, she could read between the lines. In this situation where there was nothing like teacher-student status pressuring them, they could be as casual as normal people could be.

"Nothing much. I'm just a lowly vagrant anyway. I go wherever I want to." Shinkurou replied while lowering his outstretched arm.

"What about razing down any paramilitary opposition you encountered?" Chifuyu remarked. "I thought you were a lot smarter than butting head with terrorists and warmongers just because."

Shinkurou instantly scowled. Spinning on his heels, he faced the older Orimura sibling with clear distaste evident on his face. His anger, though, was smothered down when he saw the smirk that crossed over the woman's face. _I've been had…_

"You really do have a poor taste, Chooser of the Slain." So the boy sighed, planting a hand to cover the right side of his face.

"Much better than an amoral brat running around with a prototype super weapon." And so the woman quipped, folding her arms below her bosom.

It was always like this. It always turned out like this no matter what happened.

To Shinonono Shinkurou, the woman before him was someone he couldn't get used to, just like a certain crazy rabbit.

To Orimura Chifuyu, the boy was a thick-headed fool who needed immediate remedy even if it was by force, just like her precious little brother.

The two understood what the other was thinking. They acknowledged how twisted their perception was, and how disrespectful the impression they obtained whenever they bantered. Hell, they'd gladly tear each other out at this point but...

"As if I'm going to be baited by you of all people." Shinkurou spat out, returning back to gaze at the blue canopy of the world. "I'm not so idiotic I can accept dying in exchange of acting recklessly."

He couldn't hear her response this time. Because when he tried to return his focus, powerful winds struck him, nearly pushing him backward if not toppling him down. He winced as the winds brought sands and dirt that blinded his eyes momentarily. With a hand covering them, he was unable to ascertain the world until several sounds echoed.

The caws of birds. The rustling feathers. The flapping wings. And once he rubbed his eyes, opening them to see the sky...

"...ah." All he could do was to let out such a dumb sound.

That dumb sound was filled with awe. For the first time in a while, the boy witnessed a grand spectacle. There was no shred of lie nor an ounce of desire to fake it in false surprise. For the sky was...

It was filled with flocks of white bird crossing over the azure.

He stood still, rooted on the spot with wide eyes and mouth hanging loose. He almost even forgot breathing in air. Still, his dazed mind imprinted the soaring pairs of wings. The winds brought them away, together with falling feathers.

And yet at that very moment, his heartstring was tugged.

It made him hard to breathe, yet he could only feel a burst of mysterious emotion being born within his chest. That something was... It was—

"...Shinkurou." A voice broke him out from his stupor.

Shifting a glance behind, the woman with pitch-black hair stared down at the screen of her smartphone before meeting his gaze. Her eyes told him a thousand words but her lips moved only to tell him one sentence.

"It seems your unit has been delivered to the hangar. _Someone_ is expecting you there ASAP."

She showed her smartphone's screen which displayed an image; a portrait of someone. That someone was one Shinkurou couldn't care less yet couldn't even ignore when he wanted to. But regardless of his sentiment, his priority had to be reshuffled else he'd face divine wrath.

 _So much for refreshment time, Tabane..._

* * *

 **-Author's Note-  
**

Getting sidetracked. Laziness. Wondering how should I advance from this point onward. And midterm test week. Excuse me if I have not responded to you all but this is the last chapter until midterm is finished. For a teaser, next chapter will involve the Rabbit, the Doll and the Clipped Wing.


	16. Chapter 15 - Test Drive

Walking through the empty hallway, his shoes rapped on steel plate that covered the entire hangar all around. The silver-haired boy paused, wondering if it was necessary to coat everything with steel since a small spark from grinding metals could instantly burn everything up if it was close to the nearest puddle of gasoline, while electricity could run through it quickly.

 _"Ro-kuuuuunnn!"_ A fanatical, almost hysterical scream blared throughout the Academy's hangar.

Hearing that almost-hysterical scream, the boy took a deep breath in – and he was instantly brought down by a purple rocket slamming deep into his gut.

"Gha...!?" Shinkurou spat out, and his back plus head slammed against the metal floors. "Hrrgh!"

With his vision dimming and flashing for a few moments, he almost thought he was a goner. But as if Death hasn't had enough of him suffering like this, a generous amount of weight hammered his waist, forcing his eyes to round up and witnessed a purple-haired bunny-eared demon straddling him.

"Ro-kun! Mom really, really misses you, you know!? Why didn't you message to me regularly?!" The demon shouted.

Said person whipped a glare at her. "Get! Off! Me! Also, who the hell is your son, you creepy sicko!"

"Geez, Ro-kun! You should at least read the atmosphere and apologize instead of lashing out like that! Mom is so disappointed of you!" Tabane yelled back.

"Like! I! Give! A! Damn! Just get off already, Tabane!"

Once again she pouted, but the woman in apron and light blue dress finally left his waist while saying 'you're no fun at all!' to the side. Shinkurou seriously considered hitting her for that last line but he was too damn _exhausted_ to even carry the act out.

While he tried to stand up, a hand was offered to him. Craning his head upward, he saw a veil of smooth silver hair that seemed as if mirroring his in color scheme. He almost mistook her for someone else but when he saw her closed eyes and cane, he instantly sighed in resignation.

"So you're here too? Are you out of your mind, Bisque Doll?" Shinkurou questioned even as he accepted the meaningless assistance.

Ignoring his arbitrary way of nicknaming people, the girl with a cane tilted her head.

"That person is visiting Orimura-sama's house alongside the rest of the Representative Candidates. I believe the Academy will be empty from students until nightfall." Chloe Chronicle answered with a tilt of head.

That gesture was supposed to be cute had Shinkurou been raised as an ordinary person. However, he was not and he noticed how mechanical her voice was. No matter how calm and sweet her voice was, the girl was anything but in his eyes.

And he disliked the fact he could read between the lines when he was in her presence.

Leveling a glare, he directed a question to her, "Is there even a need for you to act like that?"

Much to his dismay, Chloe was unperturbed by his harsh words. In fact, she seemed as if she was expecting for that question to be thrown out, as she immediately replied without a shred of hesitation.

"Shinkurou-sama, it is my nature as a tool to be inhuman. In fact, please do not see me as a human."

The girl took a step back, crossed her legs and curtsied. Every single move was perfect to the minuscule detail, graceful in manners yet utterly mechanical in nature.

If anyone were to comment without thinking ahead, they would have said "Wow, she looks like a doll" without a sign of remorse or even suspicion.

Shinkurou hated that sort of thing the most. His gaze smothered in fury, and he raised a voice only to stop midway through. At the last moment, he detected another person's presence in the hangar other than Tabane, him and Chloe. It was barely within the edge of his peripheral sight but it was there.

She was there, the older Orimura sibling.

Her gaze was dispassionate but there was no need to point out that she was 'watching'. Since when was she standing next to Tabane? No, since when were the two there, observing intently as if expecting something to happen?

"...damn it." Shinkurou spat out, feeling both relieved and irritated all at the same time.

He wasn't sure of it, actually. On one side he was annoyed by how some looked as if they were watching a TV drama, but at another side, he was relieved that he could not do what he mustn't do.

He didn't dislike it. Stopping him from crossing the boundary was one of the few reasons why he couldn't come to hate Chifuyu. Even so, he knew her as little as he knew Tabane or Houki. He was never close with anyone, since he always maintained his profile so as not to be used like a slave or garbage.

 _It could even be said that I have never properly communicated with people throughout my life…_

"...damn it. I really, really _hate_ this place." The boy huffed while massaging his temples slowly.

 _Alright, gotta stay calm. I've had enough of dealing with problems so eight now, let's just stop—_

"...Shinkurou-sama? Are you alright?"

And _of course_ the Doll would ask.

Once again groaning, the boy settled with pressing a hand on a side of his face this time. After taking his precious time in readjusting his composure, he lifted his head and gave a stare equivalent to one of a dead fish at Chloe.

"For your information, I am obviously not okay," He said as bluntly as he could. "I've been unable to sleep soundly for a week, chased around by fanatical masses at every recess and I couldn't even get my shit straight!"

"Hey! Language, mister!"

 _You, shut up! Can't you tell I—_

"Why is that?"

"...huh?"

Shinkurou gazed at the girl, observing her well-rounded face. Even though she didn't use her eyes, it certainly felt as if she was boring a glare enough to see through his soul.

"What do you mean 'why'?" The boy asked.

"Why are you troubled? What has happened that caused you to be so troubled?" The girl replied with extended, more specific questions.

She was so blunt and simple that it befuddled Shinkurou. Perhaps anyone would react in the same way since she was being so direct with her inquiries.

In Japan, being so blunt and privy even though one was not fellow family equaled blatant rudeness. Yet for some, it was even more so for family since someone who couldn't even solve their own problems meant nothing but incapable, weak, if not outright useless.

Shinkurou had other reasons though. He was... He was not used to this. Others would have chosen to draw their lines yet Chloe Chronicle trespassed them as if it was the most logical thing in the world. If she was lumped in with his associates, she would be silenced for good or taken in captivity.

 _Argh…! And why do I seriously hate how that sounded like!? Don't tell me – her too…!?_

"...it's..." Shinkurou stalled. "It's none of your business."

His excuse was so pathetic that he instantly regretted saying that without the required amount of venom. It caused the girl who was still unaware of his inner turmoil to take a step forward.

"It is not, yes," Chloe said matter-of-factly. "However, Shinkurou-sama, you are Tabane-sama's sibling. Any harm done to you will affect Tabane-sama greatly. In fact, it will devastate her. Thus I need to know…"

"Aaargh! Whatever! I've had enough! Where's my unit already!?"

In a fit, the boy stormed off. The silver-haired girl remained still but her face was facing towards his direction, as if she could pinpoint his whereabouts even without seeing. Her expression was as unreadable as ever but clearly, there was a hint of emotion in that face.

Unsurprisingly, she followed his trails and confronted him once again, much to the boy's utter devastation and social awkwardness.

"Ah. So Ro-kun still have hard time opening up to others..." Seeing the spectacle, Tabane voiced out her opinion.

Beside her, Chifuyu grunted while crossing her arms, "Don't be foolish, Tabane. At least that girl of yours can easily crush his guards."

 _I guess so_ , her childhood friend replied while humming in thought, the mechanical rabbit ears on her head lifting up and down several times with a peculiar sound effects.

"Don't do something stupid. We have too many problems as is and I don't need another incident be listed on my report to the headmaster." Chifuyu warned.

"I know...! Ro-kun is different unlike Ikkun and the others! He's not talented you know?" Tabane remarked.

"You know?" Chifuyu responded, slightly surprised.

Chifuyu was half-watching the scene right now since she hadn't expected Tabane to say that sort of things.

After all, only those who have a unique value could fit in the mad scientist's dictionary. Unfortunately, Tabane was probably the only human being who never acted like one. Even her tastes were completely alien to Chifuyu, and that was saying something about how far her childhood friend was from that which humanity called as 'common sense.'

"If so, why do you keep him around? He's not a..."

"Duh! Chi-chan, don't underestimate this genius's insight! I know waaaayy to well about how Ro-kun lived his life until now and I already discovered his entire history." Tabane placed her hands on her hips, straightened her back and puffed up her chests.

"So you've already found out," Chifuyu huffed in exasperation. "And? What part of him interested you? The fact you're still contacting him and getting all that sticky with him means the kid is still in your list right?"

Tabane pouted. "Chi-chan, you shouldn't intrude someone's privacy too much, you know?"

"And what kind of teacher am I if I don't even know the circumstances of my students?" The Brunhilde retorted.

The two then heard surprised yelp, probably coming from the most problematic person next to Tabane.

"Ah! Ro-kun has found out the unit! Gotta go now, Chi-chan! Be back later!"

"Oi, Tabane...!"

The rabbit fled, and so everything fell back to tranquil silence. Chifuyu exhaled, noting that she'd never expect Tabane to give out any answer. But at this rate, things would become more and more chaotic so the least she could do was doing what she usually did.

"Now that he's all set... Guess he will be advertised to the world officially then."

Once again, the Brunhilde felt older than she was supposed to be with all the problem children surrounding her.

* * *

[Are you ready, Shinonono?]

When the icon revealing the portrait of his HR teacher, Shinkurou grunted.

"Never better," He said beneath the helmet encasing his head. "But why does it have to be medieval design? I'm not some cavalryman."

He was uncomfortable, truly, but Chifuyu was a teacher who did not need any other answer except 'Sir yes sir'. After some reprimanding, the Instructor finished with one short warning.

[If you want to kill yourself via excessive radiation exposure then be my guest.]

The boy heaved in resignation, slowly standing up from his crouching state. The dull grey and black armors sticking to his fortified suit clinked, and the quiet growl of the reactor on his back indicated there was no sign of malfunction.

He then looked around the training field, then to his back where one mechanical wing began to fold out.

 _Yeah... This smooth transition is totally not what I expected._

Just when he felt relief was about to wash his heart, another icon flashed to life next to Chifuyu's.

[OS running optimally. Thruster and PPIC active. Virtual Equalizer and LIMIT Reactor initialized... All systems are a go!] Tabane informed with a huge smile on her face.

 _With an additional fanfare too...! How did the system get cracked when she said it's brand new!?_

"Tabane... Isn't the comm channel set to Chifuyu alone?!" Shinkurou yelled.

[Muahahahaa! Ro-kun, don't underestimate this genius! All you have belong to this Tabane only!] The scientist replied.

Before Shinkurou could retort back, a hand shoved the purple-haired Alice and the second channel was closed, leaving Chifuyu's comm channel highlighted.

[Do not. Call me anything other than Instructor or you will get extra homework, Shinonono! Also, cease your prattling and follow the standard procedure already!]

 _Yes, yes. Your wish is my command, My Lady..._

Groaning a bit, the boy raised his steel covered arm. It looked like humongous scale gauntlet with nasty claws ready to gouge out someone's eyes. In fact, these ones were an inch longer than regular IS hands, making them seemingly inhuman.

 _...damn it, that woman overdid it this time. Well, whatever. Next is the thruster unit._

With a thought, the unit's wing moved. From folding to unfolding and then back to refolding, Shinkurou paid the gimmick half of his attention while he continued manipulating his limbs.

 _Even the feet have claws... This is no longer a display-only damaged-spacesuit, but a freaking weapon incarnation._

Ignoring his internal grumbling, the boy walked forward and backward, then left and right. He continued by raising his pace from walking to jogging, and after several minutes, he ran at full-tilt. Easily did he cross over 100 meters but the moment he reached that point, the single wing unfolded.

"Well - let's fly, buddy." Shinkurou muttered as he felt his body becoming lighter.

No. Wrong. It wasn't him who became lighter. It was because his body lifted off from the ground, floating upward like a plane taking off.

"Response time needs adjustment," Shinkurou said, ignoring how unbalanced he was with only one wing supporting his body. "It's 0.5 second slower. Also, the OS start-up is taking too much time."

As if waiting for the cue, Tabane's comm channel went back online and she saluted.

[Got it! Optimization for Personal Use is a-go!]

When she finished, several parameter bars appeared in his sight. Shinkurou leisurely watched as the bar count reached 100% and closed itself. He moved his hands, clenching and releasing them to feel the sensation, looked around to feel the collected data in his sight, and executed several programs to see how long their processes would be.

 _All complete. Now let's try hovering in place._

[How is it? How is it? Ro-kun, can you feel anything strange?]

Shinkurou sighed at Tabane's antics, but even if his face was hidden by the helmet, he could feel the corner of his lips tugging upward.

"Good enough for now. Can we start testing the armaments now?" He asked.

[Confirmed,] Chifuyu responded. [I'll send out practice drones so I'm going back to the control room. In the meantime, try getting the hang out of that unit, Shinonono.]

The boy nodded and the channel was closed, at least for now. Feeling the tensions dropping from his shoulders, yet another comm channel appeared but this time, there was no feed of the person. Only 'Sound Only' were written in the static filled icon.

[Eh? Ku-chan, what are you doing?]

 _Ku... The Doll? Now what is she doing?_ Shinkurou had no idea of what meaning there was in talking with him again. He was quite sure he expressed his dislike of her and for someone who did not rely on her eyes to see the world, Chloe Chronicle's hearing was supposed to be more sensitive than her remaining senses.

Then again, he might be way too paranoid but he admitted he could not act like he always did whenever the girl was around.

[Are you having fun, Shinkurou-sama?]

"Huh?"

He wasn't sure if he heard it right. _Did she just say... I am having fun...?_

"You... Are you testing my patience, Doll?" Shinkurou asked.

[No. But I'd like to know if you are enjoying yourself or not.] Chloe answered.

"...and what will you gain from knowing whatever thing I'm feeling right now?" The boy once again asked, knitting his eyebrows together.

[I believe knowing what you are feeling right now will assist me to help you in overcoming your ordeals.] The girl replied in the usual flat out manner

Now Shinkurou was confused. What is she talking about...?

"...why would you assist me?"

He was fairly sure that something was up.

The feeling in his gut told him clearly that her answer would explain everything to him, and would allow him to discern her true motive. Even if that wasn't so, a clue was more than enough since he might be able to fend her argument off. So...

[Because you are my family.]

"...what?" Shinkurou replied, unable to comprehend what he had just heard.

[Is something wrong, Shinkurou-sama?] The blind girl asked.

"What did you... What did you just say?"

The channel did not respond, and so he glared down from the sky. On the ground, standing next to Tabane, the girl with silver hair raised her head as if she had sensed his gaze. The display zoomed in and captured her expressionless face, yet all the boy could do was to stare at it as if at a loss of words.

Then the girl opened her rosebud lips.

[Shinkurou-sama, you are Tabane-sama's younger brother. By extension, you are my relative - a part of the family.]

Without having to lie or exaggerating it, the girl had answered the boy's question. She didn't even hesitate, and it left Shinkurou completely speechless. As he stared at the picture, something prickled his mind alongside his heart. He snapped out of it but even then, he was unable to form coherent words.

 _I... This... What is... Gah!_

"...goddammit...!" The boy cursed, averted his eyes and closed his eyes.

Swinging a finger across to the side roughly, the second communication channel immediately closed alongside the highlighted picture of his non-blood related relative.

All alone in the sky, the only sound that existed was the whining of the engine and the beating winds. After a while, Shinkurou placed a hand on his face.

"...Tabane." He called out to his 'sister'.

[Hmm?] She replied, her smile all too daring to not suggest anything.

It was a familiar smile, one he had seen in that rainy night. The same curious purple-colored eyes. The same gesture of tilting her head to the side, with an index finger placed on her well-textured cheek... For sure, the woman would say something that would always, always ticked the boy off.

[What is it, Ro-kun?]

 _...ah. This is so familiar that it hurt._

Shinkurou sighed, "You all really are meddlesome bunch."

The woman's smile stretched and she leaned forward, laughing like a child.

[Your welcome, Ro-kun!]

After sighing for one more time, the boy quickly restructured his thoughts and raised his chin. As he ascended to the sky, he narrowed his gaze upon detecting a change in his radar.

The IFF designated approaching objects as 'Drone', while his eyes identified floating iron pods with colorful numbers painted on them. They all had one big eye, and they flew through the use of propeller blades like some... Well, drones.

[Here's your first test.]

The first channel was reconnected and displayed the portrait of his drill-sergeant Instructor. Strange as it seemed, she scowled before saying her next sentence.

[Show me what you've got this time, brat.]

Shinkurou snorted at the blatant challenge set on him. But even that was far better than dealing with the headache which was his personal issues. Thus...

"Overboost: Start."

The engine screamed, and the thruster flared with bright red light. The unit's steel wing moved to align itself with Shinkurou's back like a backpack rocket - and Limited Feather soared as a streak of silver light.

* * *

"...he's flying." Chloe muttered after having arrived in the control room after Tabane.

Next to her, the woman giggled like a little girl. "Of course he is! That's the first prototype mommy took as a basis for all first-generation IS!"

"And you based it on a mishmash unit that looked like a one-winged bird," A certain black-haired woman breathed out.

"Now why am I not surprised?"

The genius smirked triumphantly. Meanwhile, Chloe's attention was drawn by the soaring steel bird in the camera feed.

She could not see it with her eyes. Not like this, no. But she could imagine it as if she was the center of the world the boy resided in. Within the darkness, what she saw was something only she could see, describe, draw and imagine.  
That was why it was fine for her to be like this.

As she listened to the roaring jet engine, she could sense the winds changing. From the motions, she could 'see' the boy making various movements in the sky.

Curving sharply, zigzagging, speeding before suddenly halting, diving down, spiraling, making complicated loops... And so on, and so on.

After the drones began hurling themselves to him, not only did his flight method became more extreme; he fought with an unfounded passion compared to the him who participated in the Battle Royale several days ago.

He was still cunning of course, but the boy - Shinkurou was actually a ruthless fighter.

The armaments he had were Steel Cutter and Thunderbird. The former being a gargantuan blade mounted on his left arm, serving as a mean to smash apart his enemy and delivering internal damages to the opponents. It was more or less a club and since shockwave would pass through an IS' PIC, one could imagine how destructive it was if it were to hit the head.

And then there was the latter. From what she had heard, the distinct sound of charged particle meant Thunderbird was an energy cannon, possibly similar to Schwarzer Regen's Railgun or Byakushiki Setsura's Anti-energy Beam Cannon.

But Shinkurou being Shinkurou, he used the cannon in the unlikeliest way Chloe could ever imagine.

[Eat this!] The boy's shout echoed before his arm-mounted sword stabbed into a drone, and a blast of energy tore through it.

"...that's..." Chifuyu groaned. "Seriously? The sword is also a gun? What kind of stupidity is that?"

Tabane blew air from her nose. "Chi-chan, it's convenient and no opponent would ever expect it!"

"It's a limited application of Variable Armor," Her childhood friend deadpanned. "Equipped by a prototype running on untested technology that doesn't resemble the current one used by Infinite Stratos. I don't think it's using anti-gravity module to fly either."

The genius rubbed the back of her head. "Well, the unit was hard like brick during the repair but for this genius, nothing's impossible!"

 _That is not an answer,_ the Brunhilde hissed.

...Setting aside the information she had gleamed and already knew of, she recalled everything about the person in the monitor.

Without caring the boy flew like a bird who had just left his cage, heedless of the world and all the problems his life was burdened with. He viciously fought those trying to harm him, yet he did not pursue fleeing opponents.

Most of his attacks were done in self-defense too. Strange as how it turned out, the boy did not charge recklessly unlike in his first match in the Academy. It was as if his aggressiveness was a part of a ploy to make an image - or maybe a wall between him and the world.

 _But why is he building a fake reputation then?_

 _Why would he go so far as acting unlike the person he is right now?_

 _Has he been lying all the time? Why would he do that?_

Chloe unconsciously placed a hand on her chest, feeling a slight twinge in her heart.

Letting a small sound of realization, she lowered her head, looking at the palm of her hand which somehow had turned sweaty beyond her knowledge. She was smart, and though she was never familiar with this 'new life' granted to her, she could deduce several possibilities.

"Am I... Worried?" She asked herself quietly, lowering her hand down and raised her head.

In the monitor, the boy had already finished off the last batch of combat drones. He said it was not enough to test the limits of the unit so the Instructor decided to load up another batch with stronger AIs equipped with varying weapons.

But even so, the boy's voice sounded detached, as if bored and apathetic to the piled destruction surrounding him. Not even the billowing smokes, flame and crackle of electricity unnerved him for the least bit.

As soon as new targets appeared in the radar, he immediately took flight to participate in another battle. Once again he fought, but the number of his enemies reached several dozens and they all had peculiar traits to deal with him. Just like many ordinary fighters out there, the moment they were outgunned and outnumbered, they gradually lose their control over the battlefield.

It didn't do much considering the capability of his unit and arms.

A charged particle cannon, while powerful, had a delay in both reloading and firing time. And then there was the gargantuan blade. Not only its size and length was beyond the norm, the alloy used to forge it and the cannon installed in it turned it as unwieldy.

But as the two adults nearby continued to talk, and as Chloe remained within her own world - something snapped, bursting like a firework.

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

Hm. I know it's a bit late to say this but update will probably take twice longer than usual. Probably once every two weeks. I'm entering final soon so I have to keep up my study and health.


	17. Chapter 16 - A Visit

The first thing he saw after he reopened his heavy eyelids was a blank, pure white ceiling.

Shinkurou sighed. Even though he knew all too well what this situation meant, he couldn't help but to expel his disappointment and frustration in one-go.

 _After all… I was rejected by her._

To think that he, who was the pilot would be rejected by his own personal unit was far too inexplicable to understand. Who would believe him when he explained that a warmachine's OS overrode the system and took over it?

 _I almost forgot that Broken Wing is a handful one._

"Haa… I can't even laugh at myself now, can't I?" The boy lamented, twisting his head to see the IV drop and various machinery meant for medical purpose.

His wounds were hurting like searing flame roasting his limbs. His head was throbbing violently and when he tried to lift his head, something within him creaked like a fragile object falling apart.

In other words, Shinkurou was practically immobilized, if not crippled temporarily.

" _Great_ ," He said, growling under his breaths. "Just great. How many times will I have to be hospitalized until I am accepted by the undertaker as a fine corpse?"

" _Perhaps when you stopped complaining?_ "

Someone's voice rang out and the boy tensed for an instance. But when he glimpsed a wave of silver curtain, he blatantly sighed and half-glared at the intruder.

Unfazed, the girl – no, Chloe Chronicle nodded, "It is good to see you well and awake, Shinkurou _-sama_."

"…What do you want…?" Shinkurou inquired, exasperated.

"A hospital visit," The girl answered. "Chifuyu _-sama_ did not permit it until your condition stabilized but now that six hours have passed, I believe I am allowed to see your face now."

The boy would have scoffed at such display of kindness but his current mood went against him. Or rather…

"…I guess so. I've been complaining a lot, haven't I…?" Shinkurou breathed out, his gaze lingered on his relative before moving towards the darkness outside the windows. "So? What happened after I crashed landing?"

His memories were like a broken kaleidoscope at that point. As pieces of memories jumbled together in his head, he recalled smoldering flames, black smokes, blood and the stinging smell of petroleum oil.

Before all that was the sky, his silver sword and cannon flinging drones around—

 _'Why – you – abandon—'_

"…ah. Yeah. Probably, Tabane took out the unit." The silver-haired former vagrant muttered.

"An excellent deduction, Shinkurou- _sama._ " Chloe quipped.

 _I didn't ask for your input,_ he clearly thought but he chose to not say it. At least, not now when all he could do was staying in bed like a cripple.

But he was growing bored of the silence. Without noticing Chloe had taken a seat next to the bed and with her unopened eyes she 'stared' long at him. To be honest, he was feeling the air knotted together and became heavier as moments passed by.

 _…Just what does she want anyway…?_

"Oi, you—"

 _"Shinkurou-sama,"_ The girl perfectly interrupted. "Why did you smile back there?"

 _…Huh?_

"There is no need to play dumb. I'm sure you were aware when Tabane- _sama_ and CHifuyu _-sama_ rushed towards you. Back there, under the wreckage of that machine… _You smiled._ "

Slowly but surely, the one-sided talk took a different turn. Shinkurou wanted to ask why but Chloe answered that she just knew for some reasons, and it intimidated him even more.

 _How? Why? How come she noticed?_ Various thoughts ran through his mind, and he felt cold hands grasping his heart. As he listened to the immaculate matters detailing the incident, all he could do was drawing up a blank in his head and he…

 _Screw it. The cat's out of the bag now._ "…yeah. I did. I smiled back there. But so what?"

He asked not the girl nor anyone else. It was a rhetorical question and it wasn't like he expected any answer, even from himself.

And so Shinkurou grumbled, pursing his lips while rolling his gaze to the white ceiling.

"It's stupid, right? It took me ten years to master piloting that unit, but just by having it repaired, I already lost control over it," The boy snorted, shaking his head. "Laugh it up if you want. That's your right and I laughed as well."

He expected the same crude answer. But—

 _"I do not think the same,"_ Chloe replied, drawing the boy's attention with her words.

 _…Huh?_ Even though he knew those eyelids were closed, he felt as if a glare was boring through him. As if something… no, someone had looked up at his innermost desire and placed it on her mouth.

If anything, he was so surprised that all of his previous thoughts were blown away.

"Allow me to recount what you have done for Tabane-sama," The girl continued on, placing a hand on her chest. "You protected her invention away from a group of terrorists for ten years. You returned back alive and remained the person who Tabane-sama knows without holding a grudge on her. And you accurately pinpointed matters she has missed during that clipped wing's reparation."

 _In other words…_

"You are essential to Tabane-sama more than you can ever imagine, Shinkurou-sama. There is no need for you to be ashamed of yourself."

So easily she expressed her opinion, one-sidedly defeating him with a sound argument. She was like a machine for answering with ungodly precision, but she looked and sounded so humane that the boy had to look away.

 _It couldn't be helped_ , a small voice in the back of his mind echoed. _She's way too dazzling,_ he reluctantly acknowledged before he gazed at her fair face. He didn't notice at first but Shinkurou realized his cheeks and neck were hot.

Unfortunately, he couldn't protect himself from disgracing himself any further. Not when most of his body was wrapped in thick bandages, at least.

So he slowly inhaled and exhaled. "…Even though it would have been easier for you to laugh at me, now I can't be denied of my own worth, you dumb girl."

"Even being alive is a value everyone should be proud of, Shinkurou-sama." The girl nodded, a ghost of smile flashed on her face.

 _…Ah. I didn't know she could smile like that._

That kind of thought passed through his mind but he shrugged it off, getting back his priority on track. And first thing first—

"Fine. What do you want now? I'm quite sure you have several things to say, _Chloe._ " Shinkurou remarked, closing an eyelid to better focused his sight over the silver-haired girl.

"Yes," She nodded again. "Your recuperation time will last until next week, but you are allowed to move around in the next three days."

"That fast?" Shinkurou muttered. "Ah, wait… Did that rabbit drugged me again?"

"No. Tabane-sama used medical nanomachines she developed as a side-project."

 _I'm pretty sure those things are supposed to be in development somewhere…_ Shinkurou wished he didn't hear casual act of thievery and illegal modification to some first world nation's secret project. In fact, he was certain those were meant for IS's self-repair system but…

"Okay. Next? What else do I have to hear?" Brushing the suspicious parts, Shinkurou urged Chloe.

"Because the main frame and system are damaged, you will have to use a substitute Personal Unit. It's a 3rd-generation Infinite Stratos built with similar armaments."

 _…hm?_ "Judging from how you worded it, it doesn't have a Core, huh?"

Chloe nodded once again. Knowing that allowed Shinkurou to breathe in relief. After all, only Tabane could make an IS Core and to suddenly have more of them meant there'd be political issues, which he didn't want to get near with even with a ten-foot pole.

 _But still, a 3rd-Gen… Give me a break already, Tabane…_

"Also, Tabane-sama warned you to not use illegal codes again. What does that mean?" The adoptive daughter of the world-renowned Genius tilted her head.

Shinkurou grunted, "That damn know-it-all smartass… So she _knew_ that too, huh…?"

 _Looks like I will have to talk with her again… Like hell am I going to stand silent from doing what I'm best at._

* * *

"Huh, so the internalized Reactor can't hold up with the frame. And the Pseudo-AI ran amok which caused bugs to overload the system…"

Tabane the Genius let out her general impression at the wreckage resting in the Academy's hangar. It was all black and bent and burnt. Some parts had even melted due to extreme heat exposure.

One could only wonder how the pilot was relatively unharmed even though he was the closest person with the self-destructed unit.

"You're here already?" Chifuyu chimed in, and she sighed while planting a hand on her forehead. "You are truly insufferable, Tabane."

Flipping up a wide smile, the eldest Shinonono sibling greeted her best friend.

"Hi hi, Chi-chan! So how's Ro-kun?"

Despite frowning at the endlessly cheerful question about someone's life, Chifuyu as always accommodated and answered appropriately.

"He's got it worse than Ichika since he didn't have his unit to magically restore his health. But just now, he has passed the danger zone and is in relatively stable condition."

What she didn't include was of course whatever thing that needed to be fixed about the subject, plus the piling hospital bill but the Academy had an insurance ready just in case something like this happened.

Though saying that, to think Tabane would not be concerned... Did she predict this event beforehand or did she just ignore it like she always did? If it was the latter, that meant Shinkurou's value was not much in her eyes.

Yet that was wrong as well.

After all, she wouldn't chase after rumors for ten years just so she could find him. It wasn't like Tabane at all to disregard those who were added into her narrow list.

"Tell me honestly, Tabane. What happened?" She asked. "The test went well until the unit's reactor sudden malfunction, followed by bugs in the software that overloaded the rest of the unit and individual self-termination. No matter how you look at it, _something_ occurred and you know the reason why."

It was unfortunate that Tabane simply hummed in response. Chifuyu began to grow agitated but her patience was finally rewarded.

"Well, it's nothing really serious, Chi-chan. The Reactor is just incompatible with the frame and programs I used." The Genius placed a finger on her chin. "I forgot that Ro-kun's unit is not an Infinite Stratos, so I ended up overhauling everything without replacing the power source and Assistance AI."

 _Huh?_

"That thing... Is not an IS?" Chifuyu wondered out loud.

"Yep! After all, its purpose is for something else, the spec is significantly lower than the First Generation, and the equipment is way too outdated." Tabane reaffirmed with a smile.

Her carefree manner and response was so overbearing that it referred the Brunhilde speechless. Even so, years of experience hammered in her senses back and she snorted.

"Fine. Then what was it built for? Surely, a Genius like you would know right?"

 _Well_ , the purple-haired woman tilted her head smiling while hiding her intentions. As silence grew long overdue, Tabane then answered in her usual lackadaisical style.

"If I were to put it in a simpler term – Limited Feather was built specifically as a Weapon of Mass Destruction."

* * *

 **-Author's Note-**

This one chapter is pretty much, and more like an aftermath report. But since I don't have much time, please bear with it for now.


	18. Chapter 17 - Forced Gift

Summer was hot. Even more so when the air conditioner broke.

Unfortunately, the maintenance staffs couldn't arrive on time due to the legal processing and various other stuff which pissed Shinkurou off. He would have jumped out regardless of his condition into the nearest cool water body had it taken more time.

As such, it was to his immense relief that one Rabbit visited him not to pull pranks. But-

"Alright, Shinkurou-san. Open your mouth."

 _...what is this? No, seriously. What is this?_

His brain couldn't comprehend it. He was pretty certain he didn't do anything that warranted him to be spoon-fed by his relative – no, wait. His niece... _Ugh, this sounds really bad in various levels._

"I. Can. Eat. By. Myself." So the bedridden boy said.

Chloe tilted her head, "Do you? You can't even rotate your wrists."

 _Damn. She's smart, alright. As expected of Tabane's daughter._

"But no matter how weakened I've become, as if I will let myself be fed like a kid!" Shinkurou insisted, moving his head away from the soup-filled spoon.

"That attitude reflects your childishness, Shinkurou-san," Chloe countered, leaning her torso forward so that the spoon could reach his mouth. "It won't do you any good if you don't eat nutritional meal three times a day. I'm plenty sure you don't wish to stay bedridden like this any longer, no?"

"Mrkk...!"

The girl's words hit him way too close to home that he couldn't take his eyes off her. Feeling the heat building on his cheeks, Shinkurou now felt frustrated that he was one-upped in terms of wits by someone other than the Weird Duo.

 _But she's got a point there..._

"Ugh... Fine." Relenting, Shinkurou closed his eyelids and accepted the spoon-feeding.

He had to admit, it was a strange experience. There was something different between eating by himself and eating with someone else, though the other person didn't look like she intend to join in.

He chewed in the boiled chicken meat and he swallowed the grinded potato. _Hmm... Need a little more salt._

"Is it not salty enough?" His niece asked.

 _Hm...?_ "You could tell?"

The girl nodded, saying that she cooked the soup by herself. Apparently, it was her first time cooking something that difficult.

Even so, it wasn't inedible. Though Shinkurou deeply regretted he just ate something that might have failed the preliminary stage of food testing, he also realized that Chloe's cooking skills were not bad at all.

"Mm... Well," Shinkurou stalled. "It's not as destructive as the Rabbit's or the Iron Woman's products. Yours is... alright."

"Really?" Chloe replied, seemingly hopeful.

"Hmph. Theirs are rock bottom on the list, so don't get so satisfied with this kind of result."

Albeit saying that, a small part of Shinkurou couldn't help but to breathe in relief, also in expectation.

Who wouldn't? Compared to those... Things that could even shame the worst of all biochemical wastes, Chloe's cooking was several... No, infinitely better in terms of appearance, taste and nutritional balances.

 _I'd be glad to eat something like this every day, in fact..._

"Oho ho~?" A laughter akin to a witch's echoed. "Aren't you enjoying yourself, Ro-kun~?"

 _Oh shit! I almost forgot the Rabbit's still here!_

And the purple-haired Alice with mechanical bunny ears chuckled, "But to think Ro-kun is listening to Ku-chan... Did something happen?"

"Nnggh...!" Shinkurou shuddered as he recalled his (yet) most embarrassing memories. "Shut up! Nothing happened!"

"Mufufufuuu! If you say so, Ro-kun...!"

 _Agh...! I knew that talking with her is a mistake! Why do I have to dig my grave this early!?_

Even though the silver-haired boy wished to hit his head against something hard like a concrete wall or table, his condition didn't allow him. In the end, all he could do was to grind his teeth in deep frustration.

"Setting aside the scruffy stuff, how are you, Ro-kun? You look like you will be fine even though you exploded like a _biiiiigg_ firework!"

"And who do you think made this mess in the first place, huh…!?"

"Tee-he?" Tabane knocked her while sticking out her tongue. "Maa, jokes aside, I didn't expect the assistance AI to go berserk like that. I was plenty sure that I never integrated self-evolution program in it but from the bugs it caused, it must have disliked the maintenance I did to it."

 _Huff_ , the woman sighed, fiddling with her side bang. While Chloe listened intently to her with a frown, Shinkurou exasperated out loud.

"Of course it hated you. You scrapped that thing in the first place so that's what you get, idiot."

"Muh…? But why would it try to take you along, Ro-kun?"

The boy shook his head. There wasn't a need to tell his reason here. Yes, the woman simply was asking him.

Divulging the truth which may endanger himself was not required at all now. _Besides,_ Shinkurou thought, looking to the side. _This isn't the time anyway._

"Who knows? Maybe because I'm not a 'chosen one'. That's going to explain a whole lot of things if it's like that, right?"

"Eeehhh… But that's boring."

 _Must I remind you which boring woman made a boring piece of technology…?!_

Despite having the urge to hit himself until he was knocked out cold, Shinkurou held it down with all of his willpower. He wouldn't want to make a ruckus and his recovery was first in his priority list.

Even if he had to embarrass himself, he must treasure his life! That was what he just promised with his relative!

"Well, if Ro-kun won't answer it, then that can wait. Right now, I have to whip out a substitute personal unit so do you have any input, Ro-kun?"

 _Huh…?_ "You're asking an input? That's new."

Tabane puffed her cheeks like a hamster. "Excuse me? Who do you think I am, Ro-kun?"

Good question. He had been waiting for that question for a long time. But since he couldn't raise his finger, he opted to lower his eyelids and gave a half-glare at his non-blood related sibling.

"A weirdo. A freak of nature. A psychopath that doesn't give a damn to the rest of the world except things that interest you. You're a monster of whim and madness."

 _Gan!_ Even though there wasn't anything like a sound effect, it felt like such sound appeared in the room only to attack the purple-haired rabbit that she hung her jaw wide open before colors drained off her entire self.

When she collapsed to her knees, Shinkurou couldn't stop a nasty smirk growing on his face and he smugly snorted. _Serves you right, you damn crazy woman._

 _"Shinkurou-san."_

And then a cold voice entered his ear. Before he noticed, his cheek was pinched and pulled with unbelievable strength that he almost screamed at the sudden wave of pain.

"You shouldn't say that. That is far too rude, even for you." Chloe scolded him.

"Owowowoooowww…! Dhammit Huhroe! Dat hwutts!" Shinkurou yelled.

"If you promise me not to speak so rude like that, then I will release you."

 _Why!?_ Shinkurou wanted to scream at her unreasonableness but because the damage he had was amplified by the rest of his body, he had no choice but to submit to his relative's plea. Unfortunately, he had to be sincere so he begrudgingly offered an apology before promising Chloe that he wouldn't do it again.

After that…

"Dammit, Chloe…! I'm not your sock puppet!"

"Oh, but you can't even do _anything_ in your current condition so pardon me."

"You want me to kill you?"

"Will you? Ah, wrong. Can you now, Shinkurou-san?"

 _Gh…! This… damn cheeky brat…_

"Fine, fine. So Tabane, what was it again you want to ask about?" Shinkurou directed a question to the bunny.

And as if a miracle had occurred, she jumped up and landed softly, squealing 'pyon!' like a strange creature she was. Before she could annoy him even more, she waved her hand to the side, triggering a series of occurrences.

First her mechanical bunny ears straightened up, its upper ends making clicking noise before two lens lit up like flashlights. Following after it was a dozen of holographic panels appearing in front of Shinkurou's chest.

To those who expected him being surprised, he did not. It could even be said this kind of thing was normal ever since Tabane shattered the first law of common sense in the most outrageous manner.

Thus the boy read the panels… And he sighed.

"Tabane…" He called out. "Are you sure you don't have the intention to kill me?"

"Hmm…? What do you mean by that, Ro-kun?" The Rabbit tilted her head.

"Indeed. What is the matter, Shinkurou-san?" Chloe chimed in, seemingly interested.

"Oh come on," Shinkurou rolled his eyes. "You've been around her longer than me. You should know why, Chloe."

The adopted daughter of the Genius placed a finger on her cheek. She looked like she was thinking about it deeply. Without wasting much time, her eyebrows raised together and she said.

"Could it be like Houki-san?" Chloe surmised. "Is the IS exceeding your expectations?"

"I'd say she's trying to break my trust but it's not like I have any so yeah. Something like that."

The panels were displaying the parts of an Infinite Stratos. From general specs to software and hardware… everything was beyond what current technology could reproduce.

Even if there was any organization who could reproduce the same result, the thing might still be on testing phase. As such…

"I'm going to paint myself a large target on the back if I displayed all of these things in public." Shinkurou sighed, leaning his head against the pillow in a more comfortable manner. "Remake them all. I want standard gears, Tabane. At most, I'd prefer something similar to the Uchigane the younger Sarashiki uses."

"No way! Ro-kun, this is _the_ _least_ this Genius could provide for you, you know!? Anything less and as if you can have fun with it!"

 _Do you think having fun is good in a battlefield!?_ Shinkurou wondered just how detached his older sister was but he closed his eyes to calm his tension down. Again.

"Tabane… If you don't comply, I will _never_ talk to you again."

"Uguu…!?"

"In about three seconds, if you don't change them as I see fit, I'm _never_ going to accept you as my family. _No way in hell am I going to acknowledge your existence._ "

"Nnnggh…!"

"Three… Two—"

"Uuu…! Fine! _Fine!_ Ro-kun, you jerk! It's fine even if it's a junk, right!? You stupid garbage collector…!"

 _Of course I am,_ Shinkurou thought without having denying the insult. _Just what do you think I've been piloting? An accessory?_

For now, he could breathe a little easier so he made the process quick and sent off Tabane. Needless to say, the purple-head was bawling her eyes out as she ranted about how cruel her family was to her.

"But she didn't have to leave the doors open, right…" Shinkurou lolled his head in exhaustion. "I know what you're trying to say, Chloe. I know that I'm being aggressive again."

He could sense it from the goosebumps he had. Probably, the girl was staring at him though it was questionable whether or not she was 'staring'. In fact, could she even see the world normally?

 _Well, it doesn't matter. Let's just wrap everything up for today._

"It's better like this. I don't want to get involved with Tabane more than necessary." Shinkurou said.

"But she's your…"

"Sibling? A savior?" Shinkurou snorted. "She never even acted like a sane person. How am I supposed to look up to her as a sibling I can respect? The person who helped me—"

 _That warm hand holding his hand, warding away the sharp disgusted gazes of everyone…_

"…That's right. I guess it can't be 'her', even if some random God remade the world three times over."

He stared up at the white ceilings. They seemed far and distant. When he blinked, his view was slightly burry and his eyelids were heavy.

Shinkurou breathed out, feeling the drowsiness overcoming his consciousness bits by bits.

"Say, Chloe… Will you promise me one thing?"

"…what is it, Shinkurou-san?"

Darkness was creeping in. Unnatural silence was embracing his world. Even so, that was fine. Because…

"…Tabane… no matter what, please take care of her."

 _Because—_

"A rabbit will die if left alone, after all."

* * *

"Hm..."

Extending his arm to the side, he flexed it and swung it around.

"Hmhmm..."

After he moved around his upper body, he slowly exercised his lower body via stretching his legs and hopping in place.

"...Hmmmm..."

And once he took another once-over at his own body, Shinkurou nodded, grinning with abundant confidence.

"Alright. Though some parts are still sore, I think I've safely recovered."

Putting a hand on his hip, he looked at the pure white bed and sighed at the folded uniforms lying on it. Even though it was his wish to have a speedy recovery, Shinkurou wondered if it was the right thing for him to return back to his student life.

Talking with Chloe forced him to acknowledge that yes, he had a value to take pride of. He also noticed that Tabane was putting extra care in making the replacement for his personal unit. But even so...

"As I thought, I still can't get used to it." The boy concluded.

"In what way are you not used to it, Shinkurou-san?"

"Obviously, it's the part about living a normal life... Wait. Since when were you here, Chloe?"

Spinning around, he found his relative cocking her head while standing at the doorsteps. For some reasons, a bouquet of flowers was in her arms, cradled gently so as not to crush the blossoming petals.

"I have just arrived." Chloe answered, approaching the boy. "And here is your gift."

Casually she handed the bouquet. Shinkurou wasn't sure of what to say about this situation but first...

"I appreciate your honesty in that you aren't trying to kill me by wrapping a shotgun or something in that bouquet." And the fact you aren't even holding it properly is better left unsaid.

He wasn't in the mood for it, of course, but it still caused the girl to hang her mouth open for a while. When Shinkurou acquired the bouquet, only then Chloe gasped as if in realization.

"Why didn't I think of it?"

"So you're that clueless huh?"

Because he didn't want to bother himself with additional problems so early in the morning like now, the boy decided to walk away. After some distances appeared between him and the hospital room he was once assigned in, he heard frantic footsteps from behind him.

"Shinkurou-san, stop doing that already!" Chloe exasperated as she caught up with his pace.

"About what?" Shinkurou asked, not even batting an eye. "Being so indifferent to various things?"

"Yes – oh? Have you realized it?"

The boy scoffed. Just how do you think I can still be alive without missing any limb like this?

"I can't let my curiosity kill me. It's nothing hard or rare because there are many people other than me growing up like that." Shinkurou explained. "'Mind your own business'… If you can't adhere to that unreasonable policy, getting even a short-term career will be impossible for you."

"...And you are fine with that?"

"Didn't I tell you that it's an unreasonable policy?"

After he gave a brief glance at the silver-haired girl, he returned his focus back to the path ahead of him.

The walk was quiet. If there was anything else worth of mentioning, that would be how the silence seemed like pressuring one's shoulders like a pile of huge bricks.

 _Man, I didn't know atmosphere could be this awkward_ , Shinkurou regretted a little at how he cut off the conversation. But he didn't like the topic in the first place so he wouldn't want to discuss about it again, not for a while at least.

Before they knew it, the two had left the building and encountered two women.

"Hi hi! Ro-kun, congrats for your recovery!" Tabane waved a hand cheerily.

"Took you long enough." Chifuyu scoffed, crossing her arms just below her chests.

Shinkurou rolled his eyes. _Honestly, these two never changed._

"Yeah yeah. This is getting old so spare me the sermons, Instructor."

"Hmph. It's not like we don't have time but fine. Besides..."

As the Brunhild transferred her gaze to the side, the Genius Tabane hopped forward.

"Ro-kun! Show me your hand! Show it to me!"

 _Ha?_ The sole male in the small circle wondered what did she mean. But considering they were in public now, there was no way Tabane would do something outrageous like handing out a palm-sized nuclear bomb... right?

 _Ugh. Here goes nothing..._ Giving up to fate, Shinkurou extended his left arm forward.

"There!" Tabane suddenly grabbed it.

In the next moment, something clicked and the boy felt there was a layer of cold thing on the back of his hand.

He instantly reeled back but it was too late. When he looked at his hand, there was...

"What... the... hell...?" Shinkurou stared at a fingerless glove wrapping his left hand.

It was coated with lightweight steel plating and there was something like a mirror in the center. It was displaying current time with a running text below the large numbers saying 'optimization beginning...'

At once, Shinkurou felt headache forming as flood of information filled his head. He groaned, wobbling but he soon regained control and glared at his adoptive sister.

"Tabane, you...!"

 _That sensation...! That scenery in my head... And that silhouette standing at the horizon...!_

"Heh he...! Are you surprised, Ro-kun? You're definitely surprised, right?" Tabane stepped backwards with hands tied behind the small of her back. "I was lying when I said I wanted to give you a replacement unit. That glove is actually the portable terminal... for your Personal Unit, Limited Feather Revised!"

* * *

 **-Author's Note-**

As expected of Tabane. She knows how to force things just so that they can play out like she wanted. There's definitely no other selfishness and childishness that could surpass Tabane's.

And hello everyone. I'm back with the power of the New Year running in my veins. This is going to be a little short because I'm still a bit lethargic but anyway, the next arc will begin.

* * *

Doesn't matter: Thanks for the praise! It's a bit hard to make a balance in this fanfic because the light novel is written mostly in first-person narrative so I haven't fleshed out whatever thing canon has in stores. You can look forward to what other things will appear though.


	19. Chapter 18 - Something Out of Control

Of everything that Shinkurou Shinonono could possibly hate, the biggest one among them would be how his life was often played around with as if it was his fate to become a plaything.

 _I don't like it. Isn't it my right as a living being to be given the freedom of choices?_

He hated it. The boy loathed how his messed up life brought him to the side of the roads. Once before, he had accepted it as a given but after growing up, he realized how foolish it was to relinquish his fate to the force beyond his control.

As such...

"Owwieeeee! It hurts! It hurts, Ro-kun...!"

"Say that again after I'm done wringing that fucking smartness out of you!"

With fists grinding her head from the left and right side of the head, Tabane whined, shrieked, screamed... Whatever any naughty kid would do just so that she could be freed from punishment.

Unfortunately, her adoptive younger brother refused to let her off the hook, which caused the surrounding people to turn an eye on them.

"S-Shinkurou-san..." Chloe muttered faintly, as if torn between telling the boy off and letting the scene to continue on.

The girl turned to possibly the only one bearing the hope in salvaging the situation but the woman merely closed her eyelids.

In other words, not even Orimura Chifuyu wished to dissolve the situation.

"I give! I give up! I'm sorry so let me goooooo!"

 _Ah?!_ Shinkurou looked doubtful but he heard a cough coming from the left. He glanced at that direction, noticing Chloe and Chifuyu staring back at him.

"As much as I'd like to watch Tabane's suffering, you don't have the time for this, Shinonono." The black-haired woman said without any chance to interact informally.

Shinkurou knitted his eyebrows together but since the woman was never talking not to-the-point, he decided it was best for him to release Tabane no matter how disappointing that choice was.

Thus—

"Gah!" Tabane grunted, her face smacking the ground first due to her being suddenly released. "Uuu... Ro-kun, you totally don't have any delicacy..."

"Don't worry, I'm never going to have it when you're around."

"So cruel!"

 _You just realized?_ The boy scoffed and faced Chifuyu.

"And? I hope it's not something troublesome. I haven't recovered completely so I'd like some time to retrain myself, Instructor."

"I know. Just follow me for now."

 _Hm...? She's being cryptic? The woman who almost never told any lie?_

Shinkurou began to feel suspicious about this all. He glanced behind him but Chloe stood next to Tabane, tending to her needs.

Although, she noticed his gaze and waved her hand as if saying 'please go on.'

"...Honestly, there should be a limit to what you can do." Shinkurou sighed, and then walked off with Chifuyu. "I'm betting it's not something those two want to listen. Can I take a guess?"

"Nope. You will have to wait so let me ask you a question first." The Homeroom Instructor gazed at him from the sideways. "Do you think you can go back to the sky like that?"

"...Here I thought you'd ask something else..."

He couldn't help it. Breathing a sigh of disappointment was something the boy excelled in. After all, he had once lived an unfortunate life before, so he could predict that most of his expectations... His hopes could never be granted, even with a fierce fight.

 _But that's just me being pessimistic. The world simply doesn't grant more than 10℅ miracles to each individual. Even if it was granted, the thing you obtained is never something you truly wanted._

As such, Shinkurou scratched his head, lowering his gaze down while he walked forward.

"I can." He answered.

"Hoh? Is that confidence I am seeing?" The woman next to him once again asked.

"No. Confidence has a basis to stand on but I don't have any."

 _I'm amazed you could say that with a straight face_ , Chifuyu sighed. Despite saying that, there was no insult or disappointment in her voice.

"It's not the first time I fell like that. I was always chased around by criminal syndicates, hunted by assassins, and even getting bombed by powerful terrorists to be buried under the rubble of an apartment complex." Shinkurou explained. "I don't think there are times where I didn't put my life on the line, even when I fled from my responsibilities."

"...And is that the reason why your confidence has no basis at all? Because you have gotten used to all that?"

The boy shrugged. Noncommittally, as if he didn't care about everything.

But—

"If you have the time to speak of nonsense, then surely you have the time to recollect your thoughts."

 _Huh?_ Shinkurou blinked, not understanding the words Chifuyu had just said. Then he heard tires screeching and suddenly a black city appeared from a corner, screaming to a halt two-and-a-half steps away from him.

"What—"

He couldn't even finish his sentence as something knocked him very, very hard from behind. His body floated as the door of the car swung open, and when he tried to rotate his body, he glimpsed a nasty smile on his Instructor's face.

"Chifuyu, you bastard—!"

*BAM!* The door closed once the boy was in the car, and the vehicle ran off towards the front entrance of the Academy. The engine's cry faded, replaced by the chirps of cicadas.

As the dust settled, one Chifuyu Orimura placed a hand on her waist and scoffed.

"You're still way too immature, brat. Try saying that again after you become a proper adult."

* * *

 _That fucking woman...!_

Shinkurou was upset. Needless to say, he's got enough of all the stuff that twisted his path. The road he thought as straightforward was actually bent with many branches that people suddenly added without his consent.

If he could, he would have jumped off the car and literally delivered a good blow on Chifuyu, rules and moral code be damned.

But...

 _"Heya~. Crow-kun, it's been a while..."_

First he jolted, thinking that voice to be a mistake. Yet he heard it again which shattered apart his tempers and replaced it with disbelief.

The moment he craned his head to see it, he found flailing oversized sleeve – from. The. Driver. Seat.

"You... Sloth..."

"Eyyup! This is Honne, your dearly classmate~."

There was her, the slothful, sleepyhead Nohotoke Honne driving the car. Even though she was incredibly petite and seemed to have not the height to see even the hood of the car fully, she still turned the steering wheel and moved the gears with extreme ease.

Being slackjawed was at least a reaction permitted to any normal person in this situation. The boy – Shinkurou too was not an exception though he abruptly restored to a proper sitting posture before screaming out.

"How the hell is a minor like you driving!? And where are we going!?"

Honne laughed, "Well… I'm a special case, you know? I even have… driving license and all that…"

 _That doesn't explain anything at all!_ Shinkurou was about to tear his hair off but the car then stopped.

"Alright… Here we are…"

 _Huh…?_ The door was unlocked and the petite driver seemed like she wouldn't answer any more. It irritated him but since he could leave the goddamned transportation vehicle, he did as he was urged to – only to exasperate in utter bewilderment.

The sounds of people going in and out of the infrastructure. The sounds of screeching metals from somewhere not too close and not too far. The echo of whistle and alarm followed by a short, formal speech announcing the arrival as well as departure of trains…

"The monorail station…? Why would you…" When he turned around, the car had already vanished from his sight, making him to groan. "Gah. Why am I always being led around like this…?"

No matter how he swore vengeance on those who wronged him, he just couldn't get angry every time. Of course, the boy was still irritated whenever someone pulled a string on him but…

"…Well, I guess sometimes it's better than walking without knowing where to go."

 _I'll just remind myself that this can't go on forever._ Keeping that in mind, Shinkurou entered the station while looking around without giving out his presence conspicuously. From the entrance to the ticket counter, there was nothing odd but upon further look…

"What… are you lots doing over there?"

Ahead of him was a group comprised all but one being girls. A brunette with a ponytail, a blonde beauty with a blue hairband, a twintailed shorty, another version of Bisque Doll, a nice French girl, two siblings with large differences in personality and looks, and… one boy who's being pulled from left to right by the first five girls.

"Oh?" The older blue head closed her paper fan. "My my! Looks like the guest-of-honor is here at last. Alright everyone, playtime is over. Clap clap."

 _What's with the 'clap clap', oi? And what kind of hell is being treated as a playtime? Are you even mental?_

No, wait. He should've known that not one of them was normal. Not even after stretching the definition of 'normal' to the farthest limits.

"Over here, Shin-kun! The train's going to arrive!" The girl – Sarashiki Tatenashi urged him.

In response, the ashen-haired boy questioned her. "…Why do I have to leave the island?"

Be that as it may, he approached the small circle of colorful teenagers with extreme wariness. Though he understood it might be useless, he had to, because there was no way something normal would happen around the group of Representative Candidates.

And so, answering her question was the Student Council President of the Infinite Stratos Academy.

"Why, we are going to a broadcast studio for a session of direct interview that will be disclosed to the world!"

…

There was long, overdue silence hanging in the air.

Then Shinkurou planted a hand on his face, lowered his shoulders in heavy dejection and promptly exhaled a long one. In the audience of the confused schoolmates, he sardonically laughed before muttering to himself.

"…In the end, the world isn't going to stop denying my wish, huh…?"

* * *

 **-Author's Note-**

As expected, this chapter was a tough little thing. Well, now that the new arc is officially starting, I better crank up the gears, now.


	20. Chapter 19 - Unfinished Business

The monorail which connected the ISA and the mainland was a sky transportation type.

Instead of the rail being placed on a narrow bridge fit only for a train, this particular type of monorail was built to give an extravagant amount of esthetic and panoramic views for its customers.

In short, Every time one used the monorail, it was like a recreation trip; all made possible due to the uselessly huge expenditure of the local government.

"I'm betting those pencil pushers were crying tears of blood when they signed the agreement," Shinkurou mumbled to himself. "If I remembered correctly, the maintenance of the Academy and everything related to it must be done only by Japan, right?"

He was about to say 'Serves them right' but was interrupted by heels knocking on the steel platform. Looking ahead, there was a faint reflection of a red-eyed girl with peculiar blue hair on the windows, and it seemed that she was standing behind him.

"Surprise attacks won't work against me, you know?" Shinkurou said, refusing to even meet the Student Council President's gaze.

"My... How cold of you," She responded, as if uncaring about what had been just said. "Here I am looking out for my problematic underclassman, but haven't you grown colder than before?"

 _Like I care. Hell if I know about it._

Shinkurou grumbled but when a not too far, not too close noise filled the monorail, the boy glared at the other side of the car.

"Are they all idiots or what?" He asked, staring at how noisy the rest of the second-years Representative Candidates were. "I can't believe they're still squabbling even in public transportation."

Needless to say, the helpless herbivorous center of the storm was crying his eyes out at all the injustice done to him. It was almost disheartening and pitiful to watch but Shinkurou couldn't care less.

His priorities, after all, required special attentions.

"Why do I have to go along with you lots? I'm not a Representative Candidate and neither am I a special case like the guy over there." Shinkurou pointed at the colorful group. "Honestly, I don't have the will or the condition to go along with your whim, Student Council President."

"Well, I understand your situation, but... this interview is not only for entertainment purpose." Tatenashi replied, closing her folding fan with a snap.

Her words made him raise an eyebrow. Was there something he had missed? An interview was nothing but a mere advertisement method for Infinite Stratos.

 _No. Wait. Why don't I think of it like this?_

The Infinite Stratos was a piece of technology once aimed for space exploration purpose. Though it took another route of development, the fact that it was not built as a weapon first meant it was never designed that way, no matter how deadly the armaments and capability of even a single unit have.

But thanks to the recent terrorist attacks and the slowly spreading seeds of conflicts around the world, people's views of the IS were scarred, if not plummeting to a dangerous level.

"Are you going to maintain the image of IS as mere sports by involving the mass media and Representative Candidates?" Shinkurou presumed.

"Correct!" The blue-head smirked. "Though saying that, this is a request given by the headmaster, the faculty and the sponsors of the academy. It might look like a propaganda but it's necessary to maintain peace."

The ashen-haired boy nearly snorted at the mention of 'peace' but he kept that part only to himself. There was no point in arguing anyway.

 _Regardless of how societal hierarchy has changed, it will never apply to me._

"Well, equality is a dream humanity can never reach anyway." The younger brother of the Genius Inventor muttered to himself.

"Hm? Did you say something, Shin-kun?"

 _It's nothing_ , the boy replied crudely. In the next moment, an announcement from the conductor of the monorail arrived, signaling that the short trip was about to end.

The timing was way too convenient but there was no need to stare at the gift horse for long. Pacing through the door, the group of students were now in the station full of life and energy.

"...Oy, Sarashiki." Shinkurou called out. "Why aren't you using your card if you already have it in your hand?"

There was silence. It was short, and since he didn't have any interest to flick a glance to his upperclassman, he didn't know what kind of expression she had.

However, he could guess it.

"Looks like you're being too soft for a Heiress of a famous clan." Shinkurou snorted.

"Ungh... This Onee-san is feeling complicated that you saw her through, Shin-kun..."

 _Isn't that a given?_ It was common practice for an individual of a famous, wealthy family to have something unusual about them. Regardless of it being tradition, family rules or just due to poor circumstances, it was a must for the successor to be capable in the tasks they were given with.

Yes. Even reading the feelings of others was a task not too high or low to take on.

 _Still, I guess that I shouldn't be surprised_ , the ashen-haired boy looked at the group of seven students which was all made up of various people from various nations, backgrounds and cultures. _Interacting with that kind of rowdy bunch will mess one or two screws in your head._

"Yeah, there's no way they can't do something like that," Shinkurou concluded in a very one-sided way. "I'm going to buy a drink so just instruct me when you lots are gonna go to the studio."

"Oh? Are you being considerate, Shin-kun?"

 _As if. I just want to get some silence, but it's not like I have the right to say that from now onward._

"Whatever you can think of. I'm pretty certain someone like you already know my contact anyway," The boy departed, waving a hand without giving anymore attention to the teenagers behind him. "See ya later, Tatenashi."

* * *

"Oh?" Ichika muttered, drawing the girls' attention. "Tatenashi-san, where is Shinkurou?"

"He went off to buy some drinks," Tatenashi replied, waving her fan as she smiled. "Don't worry, he's not going to run away. He even said we should get going first."

"Is that so?" The boy asked again.

 _It is so_ , the girl nodded. She then said that they could go on first but it wasn't on Ichika's mind to just leave alone a classmate like that.

However-

"Isn't he being more distant now?" The Representative Candidate from France tilted her blonde head. "And he feels off... I wonder what had happened during his sudden excursion."

 _That's... True._

Like the kind-hearted girl, Ichika was concerned about the ashen-haired boy. It was one thing for the strange, mysterious boy to suddenly have a school excursion when he barely passed through the first month of his stay in the academy, but right when he showed up, there was a session of interview which somehow included him.

It seemed something really did happen during the weekends.

"Houki-chan, do you know something about it?" The girl with deep purple eyes directed a question to the relative of the new student.

She stuttered a little. Probably, she didn't expect being questioned and despite crossing her arms and showing a pondering look, Ichika's childhood friend shook her head.

"I haven't known him quite long and well. It was Nee-san who registered him into the family and I didn't even know he existed until his transfer." She answered, straightforward just like always.

"Some sister you are..." Rin heaved a sigh.

The provoked Houki immediately raised her voice, but Ichika immediately defused the argument. There was no need for additional problems and if he remembered correctly, they were about to be late for the recordings.

And so...

"I think we should get going if we don't want to be late." Ichika suggested.

"That's right. There is no need to concern ourselves with a troublemaker." Cecilia waved her silky hair over her shoulder.

 _Cecilia...? I don't think that's the correct word to describe him..._

Unfortunately, the majority nodded their heads and with Tatenashi being the first to suggest their next plan, the group began to file out of the station without concern at all.

 _Ahhh... Sorry, Shinkurou. It doesn't seem like you instilled a good impression in everyone's minds..._

At the very least, Ichika would apologize on behalf of everyone when today's over. He also knew that the majority had already voiced out their opinions on the matter, so all he could do was to go along the flow lest he invited the ire of the girls.

"Umm... Is it really alright for us to go on ahead?" That was until Kanzashi asked.

"Oh my? Is my cute little sister worried about Shin-kun?" Her older sister responded with a smirk.

"Wha-no! N-not at all...! It's just..."

As the girl with peculiar hairpin looked down, her eyebrows furrowed deeper and deeper, drawing in more attentions the longer her silent endured.

But then she continued on.

"It's just... Shinonono-san... He's acting strange."

 _Strange?_ Ichika suddenly halted his steps, recalling memories and reminding himself of what had always happened to him lately.

Before he could voice out his thought, the Representative Candidate of Germany hummed while a hand was pressed on her chin.

"That's true," Laura said. "He didn't put up his guard and his movement was languid, as if he was dragging his feet around. The usual him should have been constantly alert like Instructor."

 _What?_

"...Errm, Laura? How can you know all that?" Ichika looked at the Germanic girl.

The short girl with a black eye patch covering her left eye huffed, puffing her chest and crossing her arms.

"I _am_ a soldier, Ichika. I have been a part of the military in my nation and I always know not to judge the books by the covers."

 _And yet you slapped Ichika on first meeting_ , someone among the group commented harshly. It was unknown who had said that but Laura's cheeks heated up and she hung her head down, probably in depression.

To save herself from falling even further, the girl coughed into her fist and raised a hand.

"At any rate, my observation told me that that boy is always constantly on-guard like a soldier. From his gaze to his every action..." Laura narrowed her eyes. "I can say for sure that like me, he is exceptionally trained. I can even dare say that he has been on the battlefields longer than me with the way he acted and fought."

* * *

"Ugh. This is disgusting." Shinkurou scowled.

As he stared at the canned blueberry-flavored carbonated drink he just bought, he wondered how did the thing reach the store. It was awfully hard to swallow, sticky in the throat and it didn't taste good at all.

But instead of getting angry about it, Shinkurou heaved a sigh and hung his head down.

"I rolled the die and lady luck doesn't seem to like me at all today, huh?" The boy groaned, sitting down in a bench placed right next to the vending machine.

As he watched the hustle and bustle, the noise drowned the background music and the regular announcements. The station was a Transit point so there were of course larger number of people switching their trains to reach their destination.

The rushing footsteps of a man echoed.

The light knocks of the heel of a woman's faded somewhere.

The cacophony of voices surged and vanished like the rolling waves in the sea.

"Here, I'm just a stranger," Shinkurou placed his canned drink beside him. "Guess that I'm no different than them. Just an individual among the masses."

That should have been self-depreciating to admit. People always wanted to be different than each other; they wanted to be unique. It was the privilege of a human to be like that. Because they knew they had free wills, they acted in accordance to their hearts. Instead of becoming the 'number one', they sought to be the 'only one'.

But Shinkurou knew how small his life was.

Humankind was diverse, but they have similarities among each other. Some were even so similar that one would wonder how and why. And when looked upon closely, everyone was almost no different from each other.

"Even so, I can no longer call myself 'meaningless' or 'worthless' now, can't I?"

Remembering his promise with his niece caused a smile to slip in his face. Shinkurou sighed at how easy he was, but as he moved his hand to rest his chin atop of it, he glanced around.

A train station was a place full of dynamics.

It could even be said that every place named with 'station' always had a degree of rhythm which differentiated itself from one another. That rhythm was built from the interactions of the people, carved in one's mind when one set their foot into the station.

As such...

"And? What do you want now?"

Reflected on the polished floors was the shadow and figure of a girl.

She was standing right in front of him, her smirk was nothing but malicious, and her gaze was as cruel as a hungry wolf.

"I've come to make sure you die, you bastard."

The girl's hair was jet-black like a certain woman's. But if that was said, he'd surely be killed.

 _Well, it doesn't matter. I know that this will happen the moment I stepped out of the Academy anyway, so..._

"I see," Shinkurou said, standing up from the cool iron bench. "You'll have to risk your life first then, _Orimura Madoka._ "

A spark appeared. A burst of light flashed alongside a ring of fire.

In the next moment, an explosion consumed the station.


	21. Chapter 20 - Rematch

Dangers lurked everywhere for creatures such as humans. It was easy to get hurt or sick. There were more than a thousand ways to kill a human as opposed to killing a cockroach.

 _And so, in case of conflicts brewing in, it is best for me to do whatever I can to survive._

The girl before him was clad in black armors, steams blew out from the gap between the armor. Just by looking at the size of the unit was menacing enough but the color scheme and design particularly boosted that impression.

Shinkurou narrowed his eyes a little. Without hesitating he stepped back, squatting down – and avoided a high-speed thrust of clawed iron gauntlet.

The sounds of an engine roared alongside erupting yells. The civilians began to notice the sudden confrontation. Sensing that, the ashen-haired boy jumped backwards and shouted.

"Terrorist attack! There's a crazy armed terrorist!"

Shinkurou actually didn't care if people around him refused to heed his warning. He was certain someone among them would do something stupid like recording just to get some spices in their pitifully boring lives, panicking and shoving others off their paths, or acting so self-important as if they were ally of justice.

But... Just as he dodged yet again another thrust of razor sharp gauntlet, he exclaimed.

"This place sure is cramped for a junk thief like you!"

"Ah, is that so!?" The operative agent of Phantom Task yelled back, her black butterfly wings expanded with the right bottom part moving forward and stabilized.

Two large square barrels extended forward in the middle, both exuding pale blue sparkles.

Without wasting a moment, twin ray of energy tore through iron walls, melted steel frames and pierced through the station; leaving behind explosions which rocked the infrastructure. Smokes piled up with hot air drifting around, and there were sharp scents of burned plastic.

But appearing unscathed was the ashen-haired boy. He ran towards Madoka with his arms and legs equipped with silvery black armors. As soon as she noticed, the bottom part of her wings retracted back to default position and she took out her stinger-like spear with her right hand—

"Too slow!" The boy yelled, smashing his arms into Madoka's gut in a crisscrossing position.

There was a pained grunt and the sound of scraping irons. He was certain it wasn't enough to shake off the psychotic assassin so Shinkurou took another step. He willed a shape, wisps of light embracing his torso within an instance. As his mind connected to the network of Infinite Stratos, he pulled masses of information, processed them all and pulled certain keys from the web of database using the assistance AI.

Light shattered like a broken glass. Silvery black armor with built-in rocket thrusters on the back emerged from thin air, the engine roaring to life and—

"Get out from my sight!" Shinkurou yelled, becoming blurs that blasted him and Madoka away from the train station.

Piercing through smokes and pieces of iron, the color of pale blue embraced his sight. It was endless, with white clouds streaking across it.

"Let... Go!" In the meantime, Madoka kicked the annoyance off her.

The boy reeled back, his unit's rocket thrusters making adjustments for him to glide with the utmost stability. Some parts of his armor too exposed black sockets which ejected smaller size water jets. They all worked in tandem, allowing him to replicate the anti-gravity mechanism of Infinite Stratos to an extent.

 _But it's still not enough_ , the boy thought, looking upward at the black butterfly... at the Black Knight in front of him. There was a hideous smirk on her face. Her gaze seemed as if she was looking down on a vermin that she just squashed without thinking. _Well, as far as we know, that's an apt impression, but..._

"What's wrong? Not attacking?" The pilot of Ashen Crow inquired. "I wonder where all that heretic aggressiveness went to. Have you learned something after losing against a bunch of kids?"

His provocation was answered with a snort.

"The dog can only bark. But looks like you've finally been groomed by your mistress, huh?" Madoka chuckled. "Shameless mutt. You wag your tail to anyone."

"Still better than a bitchy assassin," Shinkurou shot back. "Ah, well. It's not like any of your siblings will care for you."

There was a short, exasperating silence.

 _"Die."_

And there was a flash of light.

The beam streaked down from the tip of the Black Knight's spear. It was avoided by Shinkurou but the attack went down towards the burning station. There was no way to chase after a blast of concentrated energy, but then – it was stopped and exploded right above the building.

Shinkurou narrowed his eyes, looking down at a figure beyond the hazy smokes. His radar picked up appearing signs of other units, but one in particular was flashing towards him. He didn't need to think twice to know who it was as a black gauntlet found its way to his throat.

"Gh…!?"

An almost bestial roar vibrated his eardrums, followed by impressive force that outmatched his thrusters output. Before he knew it, Ashen Crow was brought down, smashing into the concrete street back first.

Pieces of concrete scattered, the street cracked all over and the traffic instantly went haywire. A car in high speed trespassed, only for the Black Knight to swing her bastard sword; slicing it in halves.

Winds blew harshly. The car slid away as two parts before exploding, consuming the driver in a hell of conflagration. Screams echoed. Yells resounded within the bustling street.

But the masked Phantom Task's operative agent only scowled.

"Tch. So that's it." She said, the winds bringing away the clouds of dirt.

"Yeah, that's how it is." Another voice replied to her, arrogant and condescending in its own way.

Below her, Shinkurou smirked. He didn't expect getting out of this unscathed, but for once, he thanked Tabane's lunacy.

He was lying on the ground in his personal machine. The prototype was technically not an Infinite Stratos, so there was no such thing as Passive Inertia Control or Absolute Defense System installed in it. Indeed, his unit was _once_ nothing but a flying exoskeleton.

And yet – this prototype was repaired, and modified for a second time by the engineer who first designed it. So when Shinkurou caught sight of the Shield Indicator on the low right corner, he decided that he could use a plan or two that he normally couldn't execute.

The mercenary raised his chin. "How about we start with a bang?"

Whipping his right arm upward, his gauntlet expanded. From below the forearm a barrel of gun emerged and there was a clicking sound, but before bullets were fired, Madoka kicked the gauntlet to the side. The metal leads flew from rings of orange, snaking over concrete to the walls of the nearest building.

The attack failed – _but it's not the end of it!_

Shinkurou opened his left hand and clenched it. Pulling another key from the network, a command was delivered, processed, and then transmitted back in the shape of an elongated object. The duration it took to equip his weapon was no less than 0.1 second, and the summoned gargantuan blade bashed the black IS at full force.

A shriek appeared as fast as it faded. Madoka was thrown aside, her metal skirts and wings scraping against the pavement. Halfway through the process, she recovered but barrage of lead bullets struck her head-on.

"Why... You...!" The agent cussed, her bastard sword used as a shield to defend herself.

Gunpowder scattered and faded. Dyed with orange shades, Shinkurou stood up, his aim remaining precise and deadly. But once his ammunition emptied out, his gaze sharpened and he flew upward – avoiding a blast of energy.

Explosion rocked the streets. Fire and smokes billowed while a black streak of light chased after him.

"You think you can outrun me!?"

Barrages of energy bullets flew. The Ashen Crow soared among them, zigzagging and spiraling in order to stay unscathed. Despite what she said, the Black Knight's moves continued to be countered and the Ashen Crow delivered more and more damages regardless of how little it was.

The two were in a stalemate. While one possessed a cutting-edge warmachine meant to rival the legendary White Knight, the other was the prototype all Infinite Stratos were based on. Backed with experience and wisdom, Shinkurou proved to be a combatant capable of matching the most elusive global terrorist syndicate… if not acting as an utter nuisance to them.

But every struggle always had a limit.

*BANG!* One thruster was hit, and shock ran across his body. Shinkurou's flight was disrupted, and a shadow fell upon him. But before the inevitable, he spun around, missing a falling giant sword while countering with a swing of his arm-mounted blade.

Orange flower petals danced, metal whined against metal, and the boy came face-to-face with the operative agent known as M. It turned out his attack was blocked by her black gauntlet, so he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"What a pest." Oil.

"Look in the mirror, you bastard." Fire.

The terrorist's unit opened her wings. The gimmick she displayed meant one thing: Madoka intended to fire her particle cannon at point-blank range, and they were charged ones too. Shinkurou snarled, trying to disengage but a black flash blinded him and shock ran across his body.

"Guah…!?"

His body flew down like a meteor, black dots occupying his sight. Air was thrown out of his lung while something within him cracked and shaken violently.

"That… bitch…!" The dark-eyed mercenary gritted his teeth.

The black flash was Madoka's bastard sword ramming against his head. It successfully damaged him with a concussion, his ribs must have cracked as well since burning pain coiled from within his chest.

But as the HUD shook and he willed himself to recover altitude, twin stars flashed from above. There was no time to evade—!

 _"RAAAAAAAAAAH!"_

White entered Shinkurou's vision.

Beyond it was a wall of green and streams of energy. Noise roared, hurting his acute hearing. Everything was vibrating, and streaks of light spread everywhere before fading away. The boy blinked – and there he saw the back of another boy in pure white armors.

"Shinkurou, you alright!?" Orimura Ichika shouted, looking back at him.

"You...!?" Shinkurou's eyes widened. "Why are you—"

A streak of light crossed the sky, interrupting the streams of heat and light. Beyond the two, the Black Knight twirled and flew away as blue and dark brown units followed after her.

 _[Ichika, we'll keep her busy!]_ Cecilia Alcott's voice ran across the transmission.

 _[Argh! How the hell is this criminal still so fast, dammit!?]_ Huang Lingyin yelled.

The Representative Candidates from China and England upped their speed and became two streaks of light. They chased after the Black Knight, exchanging fires while occasionally clashing. In other words, they were keeping her busy.

In the meantime...

"Why are you all here?" Shinkurou asked, at the very least acknowledging the change of the situation.

"What?" Ichika replied, Byakushiki shifting her wings to make him face his roommate. "Hold on, that should be my question. What's with that unit and why are you fighting against a Phantom Task agent?"

 _Can't you tell that she's trying to kill me?_ The silver-haired boy almost shouted at the obviously rhetorical question, but he heard beeping sounds; looking at the radar, there were two IFF signatures approaching and their codenames were... _Ah._

"Ichika! Shinkurou!" A red unit entered his sight, Akatsubaki gradually lowering her speed to hover between Ashen Crow and Byakushiki. "Are you two alright?"

Next to the newly arriving Shinonono Houki was a silver-haired German in heavy-duty black unit. But strangely, her roommate and the Sarashiki siblings were nowhere in sight… _Ah, right. The first one protected the train station while the other two must have been stuck helping the people down there._

Sometimes, Shinkurou could barely pay attention at the happenings surrounding him. It wasn't that he didn't care enough but his priority was automatically set on self-preservation above everything else.

 _Come to think of it, some must have been wounded or killed, huh?_ The former mercenary shook his head uncomfortably. _No, this isn't the time for it. That can wait for later. For now…_

"It seems _someone_ is in deep trouble that he must be assisted, huh?"

 _Oh, shut up_. Shinkurou almost rolled his eyes at the stabbing commentary given from the 'sister' of Chloe Chronicle. But then a transmission blared through the empty air.

 _[Ichika, she broke away!]_ Huang's shout grabbed everyone's attentions.

Everyone turned to the direction where the hostile IFF sign came from – but a gargantuan blade suddenly cut in the way and split into two.

"What—"

 _"Hit her, Thunderbird."_

Electricity ran across the upper and lower barrel. The composite lead bullet was loaded and fired, sending out violent winds and heat around Shinkurou. There was shockwave that caused the girls (or at least Houki) shrieking but the pilot of Ashen Crow ignored it all; he prioritized himself on watching the electromagnetic-propelled bullet to cross through the sky and striking Black Knight directly.

An explosion blossomed in the sky above the seaside city.

"…Alright," Shinkurou commented, changing back Steel Cutter back to default form. "I've got my revenge. Now, you lots are to disperse and surround her."

" _Waitwaitwaitwaaaaaaiiitt!_ " Ichika yelled. "What in the bloody hell was _that_ for!?"

 _Huh? Can't you see it?_

"I hit her before she hit us. Problem?" Shinkurou tilted his head.

"At least warn us beforehand!" The other boy pointed out. "Do you think it's normal for a sword-turned-railgun fired right next to you!?"

 _What the heck is this guy talking about...?_ Shinkurou pursed his lips in irritation. Unfortunately, he received a whack in the head from behind. The Shield dropped by 10 points.

"Gah! What was _that_ for!?" He shouted and turned around… only to face an equally angered face of Houki.

"Right back at you! What was _that_ for!?" The girl in ponytail yelled. "What would have happened if one of us suddenly flew in to your path!? Check your surroundings first before you attacked, you fool!"

 _Ghk_ , Shinkurou grunted as he felt his heart was stabbed. Even though he wanted to refute those insults, he had no room nor right to complain. What his sibling said was true…

"Hmph," then there was a sound coming from Laura Bodewig. "Your older sister is right. To think someone like you would forget the basic rules in the battlefield..."

"Not this one too...!" Shinkurou screamed. "I had enough of being bossed around! And don't you be so smug around me!"

As expected, his complaints didn't reach the pilot of Schwarzer Regen. But then everyone heard roaring noise and instinctively propelled their selves away from the spot they were on. A storm of light and heat crossed through the sky, sparks surrounding it.

Shinkurou looked to the figure of the Black Knight several hundred meters away from him. She was unscathed, and she already moved to fire a hail of bullets upon him.

Speeding away from them, Madoka went for a chase. In the meanwhile, the rest of the Representative Candidates followed after but their initial acceleration prevented them from getting close. None of them was equipped with high-speed gears… Except for the 4th-Generation IS.

"Shinkurou!" Houki yelled, unsheathing her katanas.

She swung one of them and a wave of energy cut the winds apart. The Black Knight swiftly dodged it, glanced behind and accelerated, further drifting away.

"Houki, don't go too far off—"

But before she could be told off, Akatsubaki increased its outputs, the wings folding and shifting to better suit her desire for speed. In less than a moment, her figure blurred and the girl was already gone far ahead from the group, closing in to stop their foe.

"She's targeting the transfer student? Why?" Left behind, the twintailed student from China wondered.

"I'm not sure but she cannot be allowed to do as she please any longer!" The British girl next to her raised her sniper rifle.

Truer words cannot be said. Ichika looked around, accepting nods of agreement from his friends and moved his gaze forward. The boy inhaled then announced.

"Everyone, let's go! We're going to pursue them!"

* * *

 **-Author's Note-**

 **Feels kind of clunky, especially at the end... but I'm way too damn busy that I rarely got a chance to sleep soundly. Too much nightmares have been pestering me lately...**


	22. Chapter 21 - Falling to Blue

"I found two more!"

Charlotte Dunois in her personal unit Raphael Revive descended, handing two young adults to the firefighters. The two rescued people's clothes were burnt in various parts, one had blood running down from his temple and the other was hugging his right side as if it was hurting.

"Thank you for the cooperation!" The firefighter thanked before shouting, "Two more injured here! They're unconscious! Get the stretchers ASAP!"

Sirens whined. Flashes of red and blue appeared from the firefighter truck, ambulances and police cars parked around the blazing train station. Seeing how the perimeters were blockaded with the normal citizens evacuated, Charlotte sighed though she knew that this wasn't over. Far from it.

Looking back, she saw the Sarashiki siblings working very hard. The older sibling, Tatenashi, chose to use her IS Mysterious Lady to help putting down the flames with the machine's unique nanomachines. They could draw water from the molecules in the air so it helped the firefighters a lot.

Meanwhile, the younger sibling, Kanzashi was using her skills to the utmost limits. Since she excelled in programming, her role in this incident was as large as fighting off the Phantom Task. In fact, the girl was the first to inform the IS Academy, rang the fire alarm of the station, shut down any possible short-circuiting device and used every hacked CCTV to search victims that were left behind on the scene.

 _Without those two, the casualties would have skyrocketed..._

Though she had to convince herself that, Charlotte couldn't stop herself from narrowing her eyes. She reminded herself of the horrible scenes she just saw when she blasted through the blazing conflagration. She was shocked when she saw something that she should have never seen in a peaceful city like this, angered by what had happened and yet frustrated by her failures to save everyone.

"...Why is this happening...?"

This wasn't like before, there were casualties. Innocent lives had fallen alongside tremendous collateral damages. Charlotte thought that nothing would happen again, but her hope dashed, trampled without much efforts at all. It was... It was unthinkable.

Not much time had passed ever since the Kyoto field trip incident, and it hasn't even been a month after World Purge happened. Everyone was still on edge after the recent... trouble involving themselves and someone very close to them.

Charlotte knew that, but so did her companions-slash-competitors.

They were still struggling in how to interact with the person they fell in love with. It could even be said that there was a fallout, and a rift formed between everyone's relationships. It was shameful to admit it but she too was responsible for this rift.

But then another transfer student appeared, and everything changed... For the better.

She secretly hoped that even if it wasn't much, a fresh wind could at least loosened the strings from winding together in further mess. Though it began with a less-than-stellar impression, the transfer student managed to ease the atmosphere even if for a little. It reassured the girl that no matter how slow, everything could return back to normal, and she could finally enjoy her school life once again.

 _Yet..._

"Everyone..." Charlotte inclined her head, observing the aerial battle from the ground like a wingless bird. "Please be safe."

* * *

 _This is getting nowhere..._

Shinkurou wasn't the type to fight a drawn out battle. He didn't like wasting his time, and it wasn't like he had unlimited energy at disposal with his unit. Yes, it didn't matter even when Ashen Crow was equipped with an artificial PIC.

"No, I guess this makes it much worse, huh?" The boy grumbled, taking aim while circling around Black Knight.

Thunderbird boomed, launching electromagnetic bullets several times. One missed by a wide margin, another grazed the enemy's wing unit and the last one was cut down in halves. The jet-black IS then countered by firing a chain of plasma bullets on his way. Unfortunately, they all trailed off and not even one could touch Shinkurou.

 _As expected, she's bad at shooting a high-speed moving target. Wonder from who that stupidity comes from?_

It was fairly obvious, really. But Shinkurou had no reason to speak of it. That wasn't his call, and it wasn't like he had an interest to intrude in someone else's family dispute. But-

"Come on! You think you can catch me with those measly peashooters? Try harder, wimp!"

"Ngh...! You son of a bitch...!"

Ha! Insult always worked when one's bad points were pointed out. While he basked in the fury of the terrorist, the pilot of Ashen Crow received a transmission call.

[Shinkurou! Stop baiting her!] Houki's voice sailed into his ears. [And stop straying away! There will be no end to this, otherwise!]

 _...Ah. It seemed someone was still sane enough that she thought of the same thing. But the timing's perfect._

"Tell that to the crazy vixen hot on my trails," Shinkurou nudged, glancing backward and once again speeding up. "But it'd be disastrous if the battle ruined the city even more than as is. Luring her away is top priority right now."

[That's... Not wrong, but...!]

 _Ah. This pattern again. I'm getting tired of it but as if I can allow myself do that..._

"Just be quiet for a little, sis." The boy emphasized on the last word. "I have a plan. I'll send you the data in a few seconds so brace yourself."

 _Though whether or not it will succeed... Well, I never gambled when in the battlefield._

* * *

"Are you serious?" Houki muttered, exasperated.

Catching up with her was her friends. Sans the Sarashiki siblings and Charlotte, everyone was present and had been informed with Shinkurou's plan. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best plan and there were too many variables that might hinder it. The cost was as high as the gain, if not greater.

"Unless we have better alternatives than this, I will not object." Laura preemptively responded, crossing her arms. "If it's true that the transfer student's isn't built with an IS core installed, then he won't last long. Houki's One-Off ability cannot restore the energy of a non-IS unit either."

She raised an excellent point. In fact, there was no other word to refute them. Houki's One-Off ability, Kenran Butou was a Shield replenishment feature. But it was meant to resupply Infinite Stratos which ran out of Shield energy, and it had been tested that only IS could receive it. The regular strategy would have been fine had Shinkurou's unit been a proper Infinite Stratos but looking at the data sent by him...

"Everyone, please wait. Aren't you all forgetting something?" Cecilia said. "How come the transfer student could make this plan while on the fly like this? Where and how did he get that IS-lookalike and why should we trust his judgement when he's just a newbie in all this?!"

Everyone but Laura turned to her, realizing that she had a valid argument. Shinkurou was a first-timer, just like Ichika. Heck, his skills were average if not less than him, especially in terms of overall performance. The previous mock battle had proved how much he could do in combat and it wasn't excellent nor was it bad. He was just average, though a bit cunning.

"If he's a beginner, he wouldn't be able to stand up against the Phantom Task like that." The German Representative Candidate suddenly remarked. "Whether it's due to luck or not, he's keeping up with an opponent that took all of our efforts just to put some dent on. In fact, that Phantom Task agent is fighting seriously unlike before, although she has yet to enter Second Shift."

The girl's silver hair fluttered, her red eye gazing at the pale silver moving comet in the distance. She who had trained under the military saw the flow of battle differently. Her analytical mind honed by the tutelage of the Brynhildr wasn't merely for show, and so she understood.

"He is used to fighting. Perhaps he has seen the same cruelty I have seen; the tragedy the world could ever provide in lands bereft with conflicts."

A fine soldier - Laura would have said that, but she stopped that thought. There was no point in saying that, but there was no denying that she was mortified by how the prideful her took the easy bait the newest addition of Shinonono had spread during the practice class.

It was a clever move on his part. _Yet even more so, because of that cleverness..._

"I will not pull back my decision. I say we execute his plan and cover each other to bolster our chances." Laura continued, "That way, we can minimize the risks and achieve the greatest results all at the same time. What do you think, Cecilia?"

"...That's..."

As the British Representative Candidate held her breath in, she averted her gaze away and surrendered.

"Very well. But I will not allow you to hesitate and betray your own words!"

Laura smiled, "Good enough for me. What about you all?"

The girl batted a glance, but she already knew what the answer was.

* * *

"Oh? Done running away?"

Hovering before her, Shinkurou sighed.

"No, I'm sick of seeing your face. So much that I'm wishing you will never appear for the rest of the month." He raised a hand, "Ah, don't respond. It's just me being rhetorical. You're already dumb enough so please don't let me down more than this."

There was a click of tongue, a hiss, and then an angry growl. What? _Is she trying to mimic several wild beasts in one-go...?_

"Who...!" Madoka bent forward, verniers roaring like mad. "Who's letting down who, huh!?"

At once she reached him, blades singing alongside scattering orange petals. The attack was successfully blocked but the assailant didn't stop at that. Her black wings moved, shifting to fire furious blazes. Ashen Crow reeled back, dodging by a wide margin but the Black Knight struck from the side with a wide slash.

Shinkurou grunted, his Shield Points shaved in halves. His defense was weaker than even 2nd-Gen IS that not even the shock absorber could reduce the damages. _Several of my ribs cracked. Fuck, even my left arm is paralyzed!_

"This is just getting better and better, goddammit!" Shinkurou yelled, spinning in the air and drifting to the strait in-between the mainland and the ISA.

His shadow fell onto the blue canvas, rippling by the crashing waves. The rushing wind he tore through split the water behind him while the jet engine whined, reaching its limits of performance at last.

 _500km/hour, huh? Not bad for a test performance but...!_

Immediately turning his back against the sea, Shinkurou's vision was covered with a gun scope meant for a fighter jet. The targeting system beeped as it traced the black steel bird approaching him and locked on it.

There were roars. Blasts of heat and wind scattered the saltwater as electromagnetic-propelled bullets struck Black Knight head on. Rings of fire bloomed in the sky, followed after with smokes and the smell of melted steel...

But with a howl, Madoka emerged, her visor cracked and one of her wings set ablaze.

 _"What!?"_

The damaged wing was exposing internal frame with the electronics and hardware consumed in wild golden fire. Sparks coursed, but an IS was never built with importance put in aesthetic apparels.

"AAAAAAAAAHHH!"

A left claw extended, grabbing the Steel Cutter. From the upper right, black flashed down and smashed down on Shinkurou's left shoulder.

The impact shattered his shoulder, rendering the arm useless and his close-combat weapon dropped into the sea. The energy blade collided with his Shield but it too shattered from the full-course swing. There was no time to do anything.

Thus his body was sliced open.

 _"Gaaaah?!"_ The boy screamed, melting heat invading his mind alongside tremendous shock.

Had he not slammed his back to the surface of the sea beforehand, he would have lost consciousness from the shock. He could have entered a comatose or died from it, even. The loss of balance threw Shinkurou down. His body bounced off the water but he recovered and glided without minding the lifeblood tainting his silver-black armor.

His vision was red. His head hurt. He gritted his teeth to endure the pain but it was too much. He could pass out at any moment now. His Shield indicator was also approaching the red so even if he didn't fight, the time limit was quick enough to put him out of commission... If not misery.

 _...as if I will allow that,_ Shinkurou stated in his mind, glancing backwards before veering to the right. _No way in hell am I going to lie down and accept a pathetic end like this._

There was a warning. An arrow with the word 'object in collision course' glared with conspicuous red. A mini-map was displaying his path but the boy ignored it, choosing-

"I'm still alive, you bitch!" Shinkurou roared. "Come on! Is that all you've got, huh!?"

There was no more need for words. The black reaper descended, going straight to him from the front. Her verniers glowed purplish white and the pilot howled, her bastard sword aiming at his chest...

 _But it was then that Shinkurou cut off his unit's power._

"...!?"

His body tipped aside, carried only by the momentum. At the same time, Madoka flew by, missing her target completely but before she could turn back, mechanical scream emerged and heavy weight latched on her back.

"NOW!"

As if on cue, a ray of light streaked down from the sky and destroyed an object before the two.

It was the supporting pillar of the monorail's railway connecting the academy island and the mainland. It toppled, yet it did not bring forth a chain reaction because the railways were already disconnected by force. Now, one pillar fell as the Ashen Crow pushed the Black Knight into the crash site, executing the plan he had thought up as the best countermeasure. Debris smashed against the water surface like a concrete block falling hitting the ground from high height. Water pillars surged out, huge waves rising amidst the two warmachines. Dirt clouded, crazed winds phasing through the falling ruin.

Without stopping, Shinkurou crashed himself and Madoka into the lower part of the pillar that refused to crumble.

"Kahg!" The girl cried out. "You...?!"

She glared but stiffened. A ringing noise notified her and she looked up. It was too late. The enormous shadow loomed before her eyes. Within the torrents of chaos and cacophony of destruction sinking into the sea... The mercenary smiled, his eyes telling nothing but maddening determination.

"Let's see who will die today, Madoka!"

The upper part of the support pillar descended, and everything vanished into the dark depth of the strait.

* * *

 **-Author's Note-**

 **Whew, that was _intense._ I didn't know that shortening sentences and breaking them up into chunks can create action-packed flow.**


	23. Chapter 22 - The Woe of the Valkyrie

_And it turned out I'm still alive like any other living being._

No, really. Shinkurou had been salvaged like a wet rag but he was somehow still conscious even after undergoing his latest ordeals. His body hurt like hell, and the treatment threw him down into the medical bay for the... What? Second time? It was a new record since he never expected himself be hospitalized after being discharged on the same day.

Then again, it wasn't like he couldn't be blamed for being a nutjob. A special case always needed a specialist to solve, and fighting M was obviously above the weight class of the entire second-year.

"Maybe except the Fox but anyway..." Shinkurou looked at the medical ward, snorted and then walked away. "I guess I still have some luck in me to spend with."

"If you think to run away by yourself, then you are greatly mistaken."

 _...Huh? This terse voice lacking any humor..._

" _Whaaaat?_ So it's you again, Doll?"

Right in front of him, Laura Bodewig huffed. "Enough labeling me as such, you useless man with suicidal tendency. The way you are right now, it is impossible for you to beat me."

 _Gah._ She was right on the mark. It was true that after the incident, Ashen Crow was once again sent to Tabane for intensive maintenance. Due to the Mark-II maiden flight and subsequent damages, the unit had to be put under various tests in addition of data extraction. What's more, there needed to be some cover story since it would be troublesome if the military were to find out that what Shinkurou piloted was not an Infinite Stratos.

But in case of the Germany RC...

"You're my bodyguard?" Shinkurou wondered with a blank face.

Walking by his side towards the dormitory, Laura nodded. Her uniform was obviously non-standard and emphasized the image of a soldier, what with the lack of skirts and survival boots.

"Because of your poor ties with the Phantom Task - judging by one of their agent's reactions - it is decided that until your unit is repaired, a bodyguard must be assigned to protect you while at the same time monitor your every activity."

...Activity... Huh? That was quite a soft word for being suspected as a partner-in-crime. The boy knew that his relationship with certain people could be considered odd and mysterious if not doubtful. He also had no clear pasts so of course those with sharp minds would question who and what he was.

Was he an ally? A spy? An enemy? Or could it be he was just a reckless fool who knew not of his place? Anything could be the answer depending on his actions now, but worse comes to worst...

"Looks like I don't have much luck, after all." Retorting to his previous claim, Shinkurou shrugged.

"Oh? Are you being humble? Sounds as if your survival back there wasn't due to a reckless bet at all."

 _...Crap. So she noticed? Ugh, this is why I hate women like her..._

"Who knows? I couldn't remember much after the platform hit my head."

"Feigning ignorance, I see," Laura scoffed. "I let it slide for now. But there's no next time."

 _Wow. Now she's acting all high-and-mighty... How tall is your ego, Ojou-chan?_

The boy was almost impressed, really. He knew this super soldier's background information but he would've thought she had learned her lesson already after the VT Incident. _Looks like my Intel can be wrong sometimes._

"Not that I will ever have the interest in finding out more." He sighed internally.

He had to admit, the medication was pretty effective. Since his diet was regulated and that he must receive painkiller once every few days, Shinkurou thought his body would soon grow some resistance but it turned out not as he hoped for.

"...Is something wrong? You look unwell." Laura's voice reached his dimming consciousness.

It wasn't enough to keep him awake, but at least it distracted him from the constant drowsiness. Willing himself to open his eyes, Shinkurou waved a hand.

"Say... Can I rest a little?" A bench next to a vending machine was pointed. "Maybe over there."

* * *

 _And so... This is what happens next._

"Seriously... Today's hot as hell." Shinkurou complained, expressing himself as laziness incarnate by slouching his back against the bench.

Sitting by his side, Laura breathed out. "True enough. Germany has far more stable climate compared to Japan."

 _Hm...? Somehow being chatty, aren't you?_

"Isn't it always cloudy over there?" The boy asked.

"Not all the time," Laura replied. "In Japan, it's almost way too easy to receive heatstroke. It can even affect people with good health and balanced diet."

"So it seems..." Shinkurou rolled his eyes. "Should we change place, then?"

"It was _you_ who wanted to rest here." Laura shot back.

"...Good point. Then how about there?"

There referred to a lush tree standing tall in the middle of the yard right before the two. This island was designed to host extraordinary hospitality to its students so one could find comfortable facilities should one stayed in the island during the weekends or holidays.

Whether it was needed to maintain every inch of the luxurious environment could be thrown into the back burner for all Shinkurou cared about. He just remembered that people often said staying under a lush tree during the summer could cool down the body by two degrees Celsius. And it was also said that getting burned by the summer sun equaled an increase of body heat by two degrees, so...

"Four degrees... Well, I think it's better than getting roasted like grilled pork here."

"Agreed."

Sluggishly, the two students walked and rested below the tree's shadow. A pair of relieved moans escaped from their mouths as cool air phased through their uniforms, heightening their bliss by manifolds.

"...Now this is life," Shinkurou laid his back onto the grassy field and spread his limbs. "You don't need to worry about _aaaannything_ in the world when you can enjoy a moment of reprieve."

"Well said," Laura agreed. "A break is always needed when the weather isn't acting supportive at all."

The girl chose to lean against the tree but it seemed that position was the most comfortable for her. The former vagrant glimpsed her fluttering strands of silver and he made a sound.

 _Huh. We have matching hair color, now that I think about it._

"What is it?"

"...No. It's nothing."

Yes. There was nothing that needed to be said. Shinkurou wasn't one to blindly read the mood, and he didn't like working out while being surrounded by the summer heat. He much preferred going on his own pace if he were allowed to. Still...

"So what happened after I passed out?" Shinkurou raised a question.

And it was a very important question too. He had been curious about it but he was busy receiving medical counselling and getting scolded by pests (read: Chifuyu and for some unknown reasons Houki). He also couldn't remember much due to the minor concussion he received after sinking together with the Black Knight.

So...

"The Phantom Task's agent is nowhere to be found," Laura said, "All that collateral damages and casualties... Yet the terrorist couldn't be captured, much less detected. For all we know, she might have fell deeper into the ocean, crushed by the water pressure."

 _...I see..._

"What's the total of the collateral damage?" The boy further asked.

"In yen currency, it'd reach several hundred millions. A train station was burned, the railway connecting this island with the mainland was cut off and some stray shots destroyed several buildings and important public facilities." Laura shrugged. "You've certainly done well in reducing the numbers from escalating but it wasn't good enough."

"...Huh. Still fewer than I thought, though."

Shinkurou believed he heard a twitch coming from the German girl. _Don't ask how or why. It just happened._

"What are you implying by that, you fool?"

"Eh... Whenever I clashed with terrorists or hostile paramilitary forces, the collateral renumeration usually exceeded million dollars. I'm surprised the battle took only that much damage."

Then again, it wasn't like he reimbursed them. Shinkurou was a fugitive at large until he reunited with Tabane, so all he could do was counting his footsteps and what had happened while he was around. It was meant to keep a track and then destroyed any semblance of crumbs which might clue him in.

Because modern warfare relied on information and quick maneuvers, it became the norm for the boy to use not only one method in dodging the money grubbers. By all means, Shinkurou permitted every crime a human could commit as long as he could live for the next ten days. He was desperate, alright, but it wasn't like he liked what he did so far.

Especially...

"Does that mean at least a hundred people were killed?"

...Silence was his answer. Yet it wasn't for long as he felt a cursory gaze landing on him.

"You are... Terribly blunt, aren't you?" Laura muttered, as if she didn't know what to say.

Understanding that, Shinkurou nodded. "I'm one of the two people responsible in the urban battle. While my unit can't be considered an Infinite Stratos, the Black Knight was a bonafide machine the Alaskan Treaty disallowed from being used in real combat. Plus, mine still looked like one so the opinions of the geezers hiding behind their comfy chairs must be full of vitriol."

He could easily imagine the headline news. Another terrorist attack, another incident close to the ISA, another display of violence against the world, and another bait for the extremists to take the issue to the UN so that the Treaty could be annulled at last.

The situation within the Academy was nothing but peaceful, but the same couldn't be said to the world outside. So many laws, so many backstabbers, and so many oily bastards with so little consideration to human lives. _Anything goes in this world, isn't it?_

"Aaah... Bothersome. Why do I have to bother myself with difficult thing anyway?" Shinkurou stated out loud before rolling to the right side.

"...Stop being childish. You're irritating me now."

 _Oh?_ The boy raised an eyebrow, and he abruptly sat up. Facing the student from German, Shinkurou's grin could be found reflected in her red eye.

"So you can be irritated. The other Doll doesn't even say anything more than three sentences at a time." He pointed out.

"Who do you think you are comparing me to...?" Laura spat out an annoyed sigh. "At any rate, please don't make a fuss. Also, I would like to ask you something."

Hm...? Well, now. What could be her motive? Shinkurou puzzled over the matter but quickly his brain closed the shutters.

It wasn't like he would answer if he had any secret anyway.

"Shoot me." And so he said.

"Have you killed someone before?" And so the girl asked.

...

 _...Huh?_

"You have undergone military training, don't you? Your skills and judgment excelled in making the best use of what you have. Your tactic never counted for luck into the equation, and you always observed the surroundings while you fight." The super soldier crossed her arms. "I cannot see anything but the figure of a trained soldier in you. But I'm sure you have killed before, no?"

"...And what if I say yes?" The Mercenary shot back.

"It will explain why you asked your questions."

...Oh. Looks like she's a no-pushover.

The boy was earnestly impressed now. He never thought someone could be so blunt to him when all he did was deceiving others and himself. Considering how gifted the Representative Candidates were with their own custom-made unit and extravagant privileges, someone should have snapped or distrusted Shinkurou because of the lies over his true performance.

 _Hell, I'm absolutely sure that curly British and Chinese twintails will want me dead after knowing they were humiliated in aerial battle by someone who wasn't the least bit serious in it._

That was why, this person before him... Laura Bodewig was yet again, another irregular. People like her were impossible to set up a counterattack against with, and there could never be a proper way to repel them forever. _So... After Tabane, Madoka, and Chloe... Now there's one more name in the list._

"Great," Shinkurou exasperated, "Just. Fucking. Great."

 _What's next? Another prototype coming out of nowhere? My parents going back for me? I'm actually a lucky bastard?_

Sigh. Taking a deep breath in, the boy closed his eyes and...

"Fine. I have killed people before and I'm not going to stop until the bastards who want me dead all suffered the same fate."

 _Are you satisfied now_ , Shinkurou glared to no avail. There was no effect from how unchanged Laura's expression was. But then she pursed her rosebud lips and settled her back against the tree, shutting her eyelid.

"Yes I am. Thank you for answering my question."

 _...Huh?_

"That's it? You're not going to call me a murderer or a psychopath with strings attached to it?" Shinkurou fired a series of questions.

For some reasons, a deadpan glare was the response he received.

"Why do I have to follow what other fools did? Do not look down on me, Shinonono Shinkurou."

The girl with an eye patch covering her left eye didn't even forget to sneer. What a cheeky girl, but that suited her very much. No soldier couldn't be snarky when the time counted for it, and he was so asking for it with his earlier statements.

Then again...

"Even if I were to look down on you, you don't have anything to show off."

"You want me to hit you?"

" _Oh shut up._ Also, hold back that punch. I'm not in the mood for a brawl unless you want to be mistaken as flirting with a boy not named Ichika."

"What!?"

Laura's exclamation blared throughout the yard. Fortunately nobody was listening except Shinkurou but he didn't like it. The sudden rise of voice destroyed his rhythm and he was left with less and less amount of tempers as minutes went by. Really, why do girls make a big fuss when their love life was teased?

"Stop screaming, dammit! What are you, a little girl!?" Fed up, Shinkurou roared.

"I-I'm not little! How dare you to imply that I haven't grown at all for the past years!" Needless to say, Laura retorted with more fire, "a bastard like you has no right to comment on my size!"

"A bastard!? Who?!"

"You, of course!"

"You want to fight?!"

"Bring it, wimp!"

* * *

For the time being, a certain raven-haired woman sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. In front of her were dozens of monitors displaying recording of the security cameras scattered across the ISA island.

Actually, her being in this cramped room for the security had nothing to do with her personal agenda. She was about to take lunch when she passed by the office and was pulled in due to a small but incredibly stupid report. While ignoring the troubled gazes of the security staffs monitoring the island with magnificent self-restraint...

"What in the bloody hell are those two idiots doing...?"

Her gaze moved to one particular monitor, and everyone frowned their eyebrows together. Displayed within it was a scenery of a yard with a lone tree standing upright like it should be.

And yet two people were seen throwing their arms, flinging their legs and twisting their bodies on the grassy field. They yelled, screamed, and roared in the midst of the no-holds-barred brawl.

One even went to the length of pulling the hair... only to receive a hard knock on the face with the sole of a shoe. _Oh._

Chifuyu winced as the fighter with bleeding nose flipped back, locked his opponent's neck with his legs, and threw his enemy away with a finely executed leg throw.

Of course, there was no way the small girl who had trained as a soldier could be defeated so easily. It didn't take a moment for her to curl up, somersaulted and then landed on her own two feet before launching herself to headbutt her foe at the gut.

"Ouch," one of the security muttered as the attack was followed with a loud crash. "That's nasty."

Indeed it was. After the focused body slam, the girl in the monitor, Laura continued by ramming Shinkurou against the tree. It could have made a comical sight but anyone with some knowledge and experiences would know how painful the last attack was.

"He's still getting up. Now that's what I call a tough boy." The other staff remarked.

As the brawl went on, all the Brynhildr did what was normal to her and billions of people with sound mind.

"Idiots," she clenched her teeth. "All of them are _idiots._ Why am I always surrounded with idiots?"

A second passed by, and Chifuyu concluded: _I blame you for this, Tabane._

* * *

 **-Notes-**

 **Welp. That escalated quickly. But then again, none of the girls are above using violence though Laura, I believe, is more controlled since she's from the military. Ignoring the usual comedic routine and harassment of the dense protagonist that can only happen due to author fiat, this is played as it should be: a no-hold-barred brawl coming out from pettiness of two people, rules and gender barrier be damned.**

 **Still doesn't stop an adult from thinking of the spectacle as idiotic, right?**


	24. Chapter 23 - Working Together

A day after the stupid scuffle, the sounds of scrubbing echoed throughout hangar number two. The entire place had been cleared out for intensive maintenance. Although scent of oil lingered, it was instantly absorbed by the pine-scented cleaning agent meant for termination of powerful stains that had turned the sleek grey platform into charcoal black.

Shinkurou thanked technological advancement and the people who didn't give up even though a monster flaunted her 'super intelligence' like an idiot.

No matter what, he had to donate some cash so that someday in the future, instant cleaning agents could be sold in public. God knows what else the IS could do besides terrorizing the environment when its core exploded, so if people wouldn't give up – especially the scientists beside Tabane – in advancing civilization, then he swore he would clean the world off trash and bloodshed by several percentages.

"...Say, why does it look like he's going to murder someone, that guy?"

"Dunno. Maybe Laura hit him too hard at the head."

"Now that I think about it, how did that even happen?"

Shinkurou hissed. _Damn, I forgot these idiots._ While standing on a shallow pool of cleaning solution that worked a hundredfold better than toilet cleaner, the boy spun around without losing stability and he pointed the scrubbing mop to the onlookers.

"Oy, you bastards! Why are you lots here!?" The boy yelled. "Also, don't stand there! I've already cleaned that part so get your filthy shoes off!"

Five girls and one boy blinked. Of course, since they were all students of the Academy, they all wore the white uniform set though each of them excepting Houki wore a personally customized set as if to express their individuality to the fullest.

"What on earth is wrong with him?" The fair blonde representative from England pursed her lips.

"Probably the summer heat," next to her, the twintailed Chinese tomboy said with a snort. "He's a lot more obnoxious than the usual."

Shut up, you. Shinkurou was about to say more words to the hurled insults aimed at him but a clap from the second blonde with violet eyes gathered everyone's attention.

"Shinonono-kun," Dunois called out. "Actually, where is Laura-chan? Aren't you two punished to clean the hangars together by Instructor Orimura?"

Ah, that. Shinkurou sneered before he turned around to scrub the steel platform from the last specks of black stains. _Damn, this one is a tough one._

"If you're looking for her, she's on the other wing." Shinkurou huffed. "That annoying doll apparently has no desire to cooperate so she went off to clean the other hangar."

In fact, it was an immense blessing. The boy didn't like getting intruded upon during work and it wasn't like his personality was compatible with a scruffy soldier. _I'm pretty sure next practice will be where she's going to rip my throat a new on._

"I better prepare a hand grenade then." Shinkurou grumbled. "Who knows what the rabbit could bring."

Oh, wait. Now that he thought about it, both the doll and the rabbit had a similar image with the former being affiliated to rabbit-related special military unit while the latter being... _Nah, Tabane is more like a psychotic rabid pest if anything._

"...Somehow, I don't like that look." Houki's voice traveled and reached his ears.

Shinkurou scoffed, leaving it at that. No use in making things more troublesome and besides...

"The others already went on their way so why are you two here?" He eyed his step-sister and his roommate.

"Ah, well..." Ichika rubbed the back of his head. "Need any help, Shinkurou?"

"Cleaning a hangar by yourself is a fool's errand," Houki added. "Also, I've got a lot of things to ask."

...

"…Do whatever you want," Shinkurou said, turning around. "Just make sure you don't flirt else nothing is going to be done at all."

"Bwuh!?" "What!?"

* * *

Fortunately, there was no flirting between the two innocent teenagers. Yeah, people would most likely roll their eyes at Shinkurou's remark but he wasn't one to care about peanuts gallery. He just wanted to say something witty now that the task was completely, _utterly,_ done.

"Sigh... That slave-driver doesn't know how to hold back."

"Y-Yeah... I think my back kinda broke here."

"I didn't know my hands could get more callouses by something other than kendo..."

 _Good for you, not so good for us._ As expected, the girls that Shinkurou knew were all abnormally tough in their own ways. One could say that they were living out their youth but like hell would he label them as just that.

 _Think carefully, you rotten-eyed mercenary._ There was a British noble, a national champion in kendo, a German child soldier, a French bastard daughter of a president of an influential enterprise, a hacker that could stall a terrorist group's bomb from exploding, and a cunning fox with immense backing and power.

No matter how you looked at it, the girls surrounding Orimura Ichika were freaks of nature. They also had the tendency on bashing the skull out of their denser-than-concrete 'love interest' without feeling any remorse. A relationship that could be born from interacting with them would just choke the life and soul out of his already beaten body.

"Well… Now that the task is finished…" Shinkurou moved his gaze to Houki. "I would like to talk with you, Shinkurou."

For a moment, the boy considered what the girl meant but soon he recalled the deal they had before cleaning the hangar together. _Ah, right. The Q-and-A._

However, he would like to not stand around any longer. His entire body was too tired because of the forced labor he had undergone through so Shinkurou walked to the nearest wall and sat down before it.

"Yeah, so?" Shinkurou asked with one knee in close proximity with his chest. "What do you want to know?"

Houki didn't say anything. She looked back at Ichika. The boy merely shrugged before walking off while saying "I'll go buy some juices."

 _…huh? Wait, is he being considerate? How in the—_

"First of all," said the sister-in-law after sitting down in formal posture across of him. "What did you do before Nee-san adopted you? Just so you know, that woman—"

"Isn't interested in anyone except the quirky ones, yes?" Shinkurou huffed. "Yeah, I know that. Chifuyu told me and Tabane confirmed it. The crazy rabbit is seeing the world like a goddamn alien would."

To be perfectly honest, he would have called her mentally unstable. The signs were already there; the childishness that didn't befit her age, the complete disinterest in common sense and human society to the point of thinking as if the entire mankind didn't exist at all… Even if it was a bad joke, Shinkurou couldn't call Shinonono Tabane as a sane person.

She didn't even include _her own parents_ in the list of people she would interact with, and we're talking about the parents who gave birth _and_ raised her.

 _Honestly, it feels as if I drew the attention of an eldritch horror. Thankfully, I'm not entirely sane either._

"That's… correct." Houki agreed. "Although it's not as bad as before, Nee-san has… _difficulty_ in living like a regular person."

"You can say that again, girl." Shinkurou breathed out. "She even changed the world by herself. Tabane is a monster in human skin."

 _But that's not the point, here._

"Going back to your question," he added. "I met her before she developed the IS. It's nothing special, really. She stumbled upon me and picked me up as if I'm a pet."

 _She even gave me a name, but no way in hell am I going to mention that._ Indeed, Shinkurou wasn't shameless enough to divulge every secret he had. It was better to let the sleeping dogs be, not to mention that decision changed his life like no other. _Why did it have to be like that, anyway…?_

Suppressing a sigh, Shinkurou urged on. "Next question?"

"….uh, ah, yeah." Houki nodded dumbly. "Wait, she took you in just like that? What about your—"

Shinkurou waved a hand.

"For your information, I'm an orphan. Poking your nose in that issue is off-limits."

Once again, Houki went quiet. Her expression visibly changed into apologetic one and she hung her head low as if regretting for letting herself slip.

"…you sure is an earnest girl." Shinkurou whispered.

The girl might have heard him, judging from the sudden raise of head. She even leveled her gaze to meet his. Shinkurou wearily waved again and gave the go-sign for her to continue onwards.

Houki stayed silent for a bit before she did as she was allowed to.

"Then," said Houki. "For the past ten years, where were you and what have you been doing?"

…well, ain't she a direct gal? Shinkurou held down the urge to plant a hand onto his face. It was too much. He didn't know if being blunt was the way of the Shinonono but it was happening right now, and he had no choice but to reap what he just sow.

"…a lot of things happened." Shinkurou summarized.

"That doesn't answer anything." Houki chided.

"Then deal with it. That's how the world works, right?"

When it comes to getting what you want, almost everything in the world is impossible to grasp. That's why, rather than seeking for something beyond reach, it's better to be practical and treasure what you already have in your hands.

 _And yet, I find myself seeing a lot of people begging for murphy to break their knees. Those damned asshats…_

"You make it sound as if you've already given up on dreaming, _brat_."

…as for the offhand tantrum that came out of nowhere? Shinkurou looked to the side, finding a familiar woman in black business suit. Her raven locks swayed as the Instructor placed a hand on her waist, and the boy gave a once-over before scoffing with his eyes closed.

"That's right," agreed the boy. "I've already stopped dreaming even before I met Tabane and you."

"Wh…! S-Shinkurou, don't speak so rude to the instructor!"

Now what? Was Houki scared of Chifuyu? …can't say she was wrong, considering all the tags attached to her. _Unfortunately, I'm way too numb to anything other than physical harm—_

"Is that so?" Chifuyu replied, the tone of her voice not even having the slightest change at the acidic words thrown to her. "Then what have you found? Do you think that your hands are already full of what you want?"

"…of course. Just what do you think—"

"Is it worth it? What those hands of yours hold…" Chifuyu reiterated. "Are they worth it?"

Words got caught in his throat. As if noticing that, the woman in business suit snorted.

"Say that again after you don't stumble over casual remarks. You're still the same brat I knew."

 _Grrh… This woman…!_ Shinkurou hissed but she had decided to ignore him and faced Houki. The girl with a long ponytail straightened her back.

"Shinonono, did you clean the hangar as well?"

"Eh? A-ah, that's… Actually, I and Ichika helped out…"

"I see." Chifuyu nodded. "The others haven't finished because of stupid bickering so I thought this side would turn out the same. Well, anyway. Good work, I'll add a few points for you and that idiot."

 _As for the other idiot standing behind you,_ the woman addressed and the silver-haired boy perked up. He didn't forget to retain his default expression, and by default it was an eternally annoyed face which would no doubt piss off even a saint.

"Here's yours." Chifuyu threw a small object which the boy caught with one hand. "The repair's already done. Now that the hangar is cleaned, it's time for the next test drive."

 _…Test drive…?_ Shinkurou opened his hand. He identified an elongated object at the size of a zippo lighter, and it looked like one albeit more futuristic in design – _wait a minute… isn't this!?_

"Hold on a second, Chifuyu! Isn't this for IS—"

"Hurry along or the facility will be closed."

 _Arrrgh…! Not this one, not that one…! Why can't_ anyone _just stay still and listen when someone's talking to them!?_

* * *

 **\- Author's Note -  
**

As usual, got stuck somewhere. Fortunately not losing any interest but I've been bogged down by a lot of things, such as college breathing down my neck and my wallet crying. Anyway, next chapter is action-packed one!


	25. Chapter 24 - The Liberated knight

Shinkurou rubbed his throbbing temples.

He never expected something like _this_ to happen. One after another, all of his plans fell apart no matter what he did. In fact, he didn't even do anything and his day kept on being ruined, and that was just _wrong_.

 _For fuck's sake, if God truly exists, then why can't I be given a chance to take a break!?_

Well, whatever. Now that he had lost any chance to argue, he was sure he had nothing more to give up on. All he needed to do was to give a payback in some way and he would become the true victor.

"…Are you _sure_ this is alright?" Not far from his hearing range, Houki's voice reached out. "Ichika, Shinkurou isn't well enough to man an IS! Can't you convince the Instructor to put the practice test for later dates!?"

"Even if you say that…"

Yeah, that about summed it up. The boy who had long stayed by that black woman's side would understand that Houki's demand was too much to ask for. After all, the Brunhildr had never accepted 'no' as answer and she was famous for being _the_ Drill Instructor.

Nobody would want to mess with a global champion who would rescue her younger brother from the hands of terrorists all alone even if it meant disqualification from world tournament.

"Resisting is futile. Just give up and accept how she rolls." Shinkurou checked his pilot suit that covered only his torso and his lower body down to the area before his knees. "Besides, better finish this sooner than later. I'd rather not give more reason for Tabane to demand me to try using this thing."

As much as he'd like to sleep like log, the crazed rabbit's face was the last thing he would ask to see before he died. No, maybe it was the second last ever since the other Doll's request but he was still not in the right headspace and he had no motivation to deepen his connection with his 'eldest sister' as of the moment.

 _I still want to keep my sanity intact, thank you very much._

[Shinonono! Don't just stand there!] The speaker installed in the arena blared. [Ready your unit! We're going to start the test in an hour or else the maintenance staffs will yell at you!]

 _Why me and why not you?_ Shinkurou honestly wanted to ask but soon he realized that Chifuyu would just strong arm the poor staffs. That fit her personality too much and she was trusted by the headmaster as much as the elder Sarashiki sibling was. _What a troublesome woman…_

With heavy heart and a resigned sigh, Shinkurou tossed his brand new terminal to the air and caught it with his right hand. He looked at the silver casing that reflected the sunlight, and soon enough any trace of expression was wiped off his face.

"Here I go, partner." Shinkurou tightened his grip and willed. "Come, _Ashen Crow._ "

In the moment nothing happened, and in the next a bright white light erupted in the middle of the arena. White blinded the boy's eyes, everything fading into nothing, even all of his senses and suddenly a grand change occurred.

* * *

To Orimura Ichika, what he saw reminded him of his first contact with the black box known as the Infinite Stratos.

Light burst forth and enveloped the silver-haired boy. It was but a moment but he was sure that Shinkurou's consciousness dived into the IS Network which provided the necessary information in regard to his unit.

 _But the most important thing is the sense of utter liberation._

Ichika vividly recalled the sensation of having first touched an IS. His senses sharpened to an abnormal degree, his mind expanding so much that he could access and even _understand_ difficult information pertaining to the mechanical frame invented by his childhood friend's older sister, and he felt as if he could take the world by himself,

 _That took me back,_ the boy thought as the light subsided. He blinked when he realized something was odd with the scene he just saw.

"…huh? I thought your unit's already been repaired." Ichika raised an index finger and pointed. "It doesn't look different at all."

That was right. What Shinonono Shinkurou wore over his body was the same metal suit with one wing that looked like the plucked wing of an angel. To tell the truth, the image the IS gave off was a bird that could no longer fly, and the impression _somehow_ persisted no matter how many times it was destroyed and repaired.

 _It doesn't even look brand new! How is that possible!?_

"That's a given," Shinkurou's voice traveled as he moved his hands, gesturing as if gauging the 'feels' in piloting the IS. "I don't need upgrades or even a self-evolving AI assistance. A manned unit that requires manual control is more than enough for me."

During his talk, the one wing operated by opening up and displayed the thrusters concealed beneath the steel gray 'feathers'. The gimmick eerily reminded Ichika of a living bird that he rubbed his arm for unknown reasons.

"…Isn't that inconvenient?" From next to him his childhood friend asked. "I know that I cannot leave everything up to a machine but IS far too advanced that it an AI assistance can help easing me from focusing entirely on the statistics and logistics."

 _That's usually the case,_ Shinkurou agreed which baffled both Ichika and Houki. If he knew that, then why…

"But what I have is far too outdated," continued Shinkurou. "The system is bugged, and it's performance is worse than 1st-gen unit. Honestly, this thing is a piece of junk that should have been recycled or destroyed a long time ago."

Wow. He sure didn't hold back in criticizing Tabane's handiwork. Ichika was almost impressed, since if the person was in the vicinity, she would break down crying like a child who got her favorite toy taken away. _Even though everyone thinks how great Infinite Stratos is, he sure doesn't have any care ._

"I'm not sure if I should be angry, laughing, or disappointed, now…"

Ah, Houki. Looks like even she couldn't comprehend Shinkurou. _You have my sympathy for living with siblings like these two._

"Oh, zip up your panties. This isn't the end of the world, you know?" Shinkurou ignored his step-sibling's glare. "Feh. As much I want to complain more about this thing, there's stuff that got improved even if a little."

After he floated and rotated for 180 degrees, Ichika blinked.

"I-Is that the Absolute Defense system?" He pointed at the abnormally large hexagonal panel circling around his roommate's torso.

"The nano-fiber?" Shinkurou looked at it. "This thing has bad fuel consumption rate, so it's impossible to deploy both the PIC and Absolute Defense barrier passively. I can't even fly halfway through the stratosphere without getting affected by the extreme environmental differences."

…oh, now that he thought about it, Infinite Stratos was first built for space exploration in mind. It was supposed to be a multipurpose, state of the art astronaut suit but, well… Tabane was at her golden age when the project was underway.

"…wait, it can't even deploy Absolute Defense?" Houki gasped. "So you could have _died_ when you fought against the Phantom Task!?"

 _Huh!?_ Ichika didn't think of that. _Is that true!?_

"Stop exaggerating," chided the boy as if what he just heard went through his right ear and exited his left ear. "All of you are the same. Heck, the guy standing next to you almost died _twice in a row_."

Ichika winced. _H-How did he know…? Did Chifuyu-nee tell him that?_

"That's not the issue here!" Houki shouted. "So then, for the past ten years…!"

"Ah, enough. Stop speaking about me. That can be for later, dammit."

Without a shred of mercy Shinkurou denied the girl from getting her answers, and he turned around, his thrusters screeching as he ascended to the sky.

"Now what am I supposed to do nex – _geh!?_ "

 _'Geh?' Now what?_ Ichika lifted his chin to see what had caused Shinkurou to suddenly croak like a squashed frog…

"Geh!?" And he uttered the same thing, although his reaction was far worse than the silver-haired transfer student. "T-T-T-That's…!"

A unit floated in the sky. It was situated higher than the Ashen Crow, and it had a familiar shape. Ichika of all people couldn't miss the shape of the wings, the _katana_ sheathed at the left side of the unit, and the locks of jet-black hair that almost didn't reflect the sunlight.

What he saw above was an IS unit he was familiar with, but had never seen again ever since a certain incident in the past. He thought he would never see it again, but now… now he was basking in its presence that brought back so many memories.

Like a knight with a pair of wings. Like a warrior in an aerial battlefield. Like a sharp blade that would cut everything in a single instance.

What existed in the sky was no doubt…!

" _Kurezakura!?_ "


	26. Chapter 25 - Challenge Accepted

_This is no joke…_

Shinkurou swore he was being toyed with by some drunk deity out there. It was one thing to fight some random assassin or terrorist, but having the _Brunhildr_ of all people as his opponent was on an entirely different level. It was madness.

"What's wrong, Shinonono? Take out your weapons." The woman in black tight-fitting suit and mechanical armors drew out her katana. "We don't have much time and I still have work to do after this."

 _Damn workaholic…_ "You really are serious about sparring with me…"

"Of course I am. Now enough chattering."

Shinkurou spat out a sigh. With heavy reluctance and mental tiredness clutching him, the silver-haired boy raised Steel Cutter with both of his hands and expanded his lone wing.

The HUD cleared up to give as much space to see. He expanded his awareness on the logistics, connected his senses with the AI-assisted sensors installed in his unit, and then flooded his focus in compiling the data log that began to grow in size.

 _So far so good,_ he concluded at the log. It didn't look like there were faulty parts though the parameters required more tuning; some parts didn't look like they were tuned by the Rabbit but at the very least the unit had been stabilized with an all-rounded settings.

The best thing of the repair would be the dramatic improvement of the fuel efficiency.

"How long can that unit stay active?"

Shinkurou bobbed his head at the black-haired woman's question. "…An hour and a quarter in energy conservation mode. Thirty-five minutes if I push this thing to its limits."

"Then," Chifuyu raised her main weapon. "Let's finish this in five minute."

 _What?_

Shinkurou stared at the Kurezakura – and in the next instance the unit vanished as if it was never there before. Chills ran down his spine. The sensor couldn't detect the unit fast enough, so he immediately revved up the engine…

But coming from his side, a powerful attack plunged in.

A jet-black one-edged sword flashed like a black lightning that forced Shinkurou to dodge with a sudden jump of thrusters. His body spun in the air, his eyes catching the Shield Points reduced by forty-five points.

 _What the hell…!?_

"Now that's a surprise," a voice sneaked from behind him as the sounds of ignited engine doubled. "I didn't expect you to avoid that."

 _Gh…!?_ Immediately the former vagrant swung Steel Cutter to the side, but the pilot of Kurezakura dived down and boosted forward, breaking into his range with little to no effort at all.

Without thinking twice, Shinkurou opened the Vulcan Gun hidden in his left gauntlet. He could hit her at this range. Sure, the giant sword was too heavy and useless against an agile opponent but he had his claws and Vulcan Gun.

But as if expecting his move, his foe executed a sudden burst of acceleration that brought her right in front of him.

Chifuyu reversed her grips over her katana and lashed out an attack. The black handle struck his left forearm from below and the attack forcibly closed gun port before it could fire a single lead.

"Damn—!?"

"A cheap trick won't work twice."

The Brunhildr reversed back her grips over her weapon. She drew the katana in and focused her gaze at a spot.

There was no time wasted. Both of her arms blurred and the sharp steel became a streak of lightning.

Before he knew it, Shinkurou felt his body rattled as if struck by a car and he was blasted to the northern walls of the arena.

* * *

"What was that!?" Houki shouted as she turned a shocked stare at her childhood friend. "D-Did the Instructor use Ignition Boost as an opening move!?"

"Uh… I think she did." Ichika rubbed his arm as if he had recalled a bad memory. "Chifuyu-nee doesn't like beating around the bush when it comes to one-on-one duel… Wait, don't you also remember what happened when you tried to fight her in kendo match, Houki?"

 _…Now that I think about it…_ Houki gulped down as she remembered the beatdown that left quite a scar in her mind. She wasn't sure how did she forget most of it, but it was probably because of the blunt trauma she had received upon losing. _I-If the same Chifuyu-san is using the IS she used in Mondo Grosso…_

"Isn't this bad…?"

"Yeah, it is." Ichika nodded. "In fact, this is way too unfair for Shinkurou that it's not even funny."

"…He's going to be fine, right?"

Ichika could only look to the side, much to Houki's utter dismay and horror.

"Hey! We just heard something loud!" The door behind them opened, welcoming a cast of familiar classmates who instantly stood still in shock upon watching the live recording. "Wait, isn't that…!?"

* * *

As if taking the short pause as a cue, a beam of blue energy surrounded by high-voltage electricity filled the screen.

"Oh, so you're still alive."

 _So not even_ that _can scratch her._ On the ground with Thunderbird form shifting back to blade-mode, Shinkurou licked his upturned lips.

He spat out air and inhaled, gathering air in his lungs as he suppressed the fear and anxiety threatening to swallow his heart. _Looks like I really have no choice when it comes to fighting against her._

"Surprise attack isn't really interesting." The boy ignited his thrusters, letting loose a scream of the engines that grew louder and louder. "Sorry, but your opponent is tougher than a cockroach."

The black-haired woman nodded. "I can see that. The brats wouldn't have lasted beyond two hits."

"No kidding," Shinkurou grunted. "That literally shaved two-thirds of my shield points. What savage power did you store in that attack?"

Chifuyu creased her eyebrows. She didn't say anything until she lowered her altitude and let her feet touch the ground.

"While IS was built for sport and entertainment, that doesn't mean everyone would follow the rules every time." The pilot of Kurezakura raised her katana and readied a fighting stance. "The Mondo Grosso, for example, isn't only a world tournament meant to flaunt the advancement of technology a country has and promoting how great the IS are."

"…Ah, so that's it. Political leverage, arms race and all that," Shinkurou sighed. "Sounds like a pain in the ass. I guess that means your style is all work and no play, then."

"Don't be silly. Do you think _I_ have the leisure when idiots scurry around without a care?"

 _Good point there,_ Shinkurou thought. Even though ten years had passed, he could remember Orimura Chifuyu's behavior. Always so serious, levelheaded, and responsible to a fault. It was mostly because she had been in a bad situation which forced her to focus in maintaining her household, and even her participation as an IS pilot was related to her family circumstance.

Had her younger brother not been involved in a terrorist incident, Chifuyu could have taken a little break once in a while, but…

"As if you could." Shinkurou scoffed as his lone wing unfolded, revealing steel feathers that ejected light, heat and noise. "You consider family as sacred and you won't stop at nothing to protect what is important to you. You can't hold back even if you want to, right?"

 _And now I just compared her with those main characters of the shitty comics hidden in the student council room. Man, the imagery makes me sick…_

"If you know already, then this'll be quick." Chifuyu readied a stance. "Show me what strength you've gained until now, _Shinonono_."

The boy bent his knees and leaned forward. The single wing behind his back moved to align itself with his spine, the thruster ramping up the rotary engine and his sight locked on to his target.

"Fine," Shinkurou spat out. "I'll be sure to do just that, _Instructor._ "

With that, air exploded behind him and brought him to the sky.

* * *

To any who were watching, the following battle would at least instill the ideal of 'fast' in their mind.

Blades clashed and orange sparks scattered. Blue jets burned behind the two combatants as they danced in a rondo of steel and heated air. Rays of light sprinkled the sky, damaged the surface of the arena and struck the barrier that protected the viewing gallery like a rain of light.

At the same time, two manned machines drew trails of light in the sky above the arena.

One was exceedingly fast with timed precisions that far surpassed any record of the Representative Candidates currently enrolled in the Infinite Stratos Academy. Her katana flashed like a flash of black lightning, striking true at her target while permitting not even a chance for failure in her every move.

 _How nostalgic,_ the woman – Chifuyu thought as she parried a downward slash. _This is an experience I never thought would feel again._

She had once retired from piloting an IS, and had lived a life of a teacher for years. She could tell that her skills had dulled somewhat, since IS operated unlike the likes of the heavy power armors. However, she also admitted that she wanted to go out without a restraint for once.

 _So this is quite a turn of event._

Her foe was a silvery white one-winged knight. With an outdated design that was lackluster and putting emphasis only in protection, the clipped angel flew with reckless abandon while occasionally displaying savage battle instincts like a cornered wounded animal.

"Dammit, just hit already!" The pilot of Ashen Crow fired his composite railgun until the barrel overheated. "Tch…!"

Chifuyu accelerated at the chance. Closing in, she swung her katana only for her attack to be blocked before the blade could reach the neck of her opponent.

Steel groaned, sparks showered the silver armor covering Ashen Crow's pilot. The arms holding the swords trembled, and a question appeared about whose arms were trembling. Be that as it may, Kurezakura moved her thrusters and aimed them at her foe.

There was a surprised sound spilling out.

Then there was a burst of heat, noise and power.

A loud sound of an impact followed after the thrown off Ashen Crow. Shinkurou's limbs flailed as he lost all of his balance and composure. He shook his head as if to clear off the sudden detonation that swallowed him but it was too late.

Chifuyu pursued him and her katana slashed forward, biting into the armor plating as sounds of shrieking metal and solid resistance transferred back through her weapon and arms.

But in a split second, the sensation vanished as her vision was blinded by a curtain of blue light.

"What?!" Chifuyu responded by driving back at once.

She noticed a shallow decline in her Shield. Her sensors picked up heat and noise that could have torn the eardrums and laid serious burns on the skins – and she realized that her student had distracted her by turning _her_ _tactic_ against her.

"Hah… Ha!" The boy forced a laugh as he regained his stance. "How's that for you, huh!?"

 _Well now,_ Chifuyu bobbed her head a little, intending to give a response but keeping it as vague as possible. _That was a genuine surprise, who'd ever thought he'd just go up and steal my trick._

Although it wasn't a bad thing, it was quite a rude act of thievery.

Others like her brother and some of his friends would have been agitated by the fact that their techniques were copied after they showed it off once. _If it's an intentional form of harassment, then this brat certainly did it flawlessly._

As a teacher, Chifuyu's assessment would be 'still needs massive improvement'.

As a tactician, Chifuyu would say 'crude idea no different than a Swiss cheese'.

As a warrior, however…

"That's a good move," said the pilot of Kurezakura. "Then let's see how many skills you can steal with that power of observation of yours."

Chifuyu felt _thrilled_ by the potential her opponent carried.


	27. Chapter 26 - Limits of Understanding

When he opened his eyes, what he saw was a vermillion sky covered by a silhouette.

The silhouette had four limbs, two arms, and two legs. The frame wasn't particularly slender or bulky, just around average and one of its arms extended toward him.

"Hey," the figure recognized as a young human male said. "You okay there, Shinkurou? Need help?"

The subject in question groaned.

As memories came back to him, the short duel and yet _another_ magnificent defeat he had acquired on his belt struck him. The boy nursed his head with his hand and looked away, but he understood that doing nothing would not help him at all.

After all, he was stuck in a rubble that was once the southern wall of the arena.

"...You'll need to use your unit first." Shinkurou scoffed at the confused reaction the helper had. "I'm stuck here. Need some more extra hands and strength if you want to actually pull some results."

"Ah. Sorry there." The boy rubbed the back of his head while wearing a sheepish smile. "Hey, Houki! Can you help too?"

He heard a shout and then there was a sound of approaching footsteps.

Craning his head, he saw a brown-haired girl walking towards him. Her expression was frantic and when she arrived, she looked at her childhood friend.

"What's wrong?" Houki asked.

"Well, this guy's stuck in the rubble so we'll have to use the IS," Ichika explained.

"Huh? Then why do you need me?"

He sighed and raised a hand, drawing the two's attentions with that.

"Actually," Shinkurou said. "This thing is a lot heavier than it looked like."

Houki stared as if desiring for some clarification. However, he was too tired to even do that, so he chose to stay silent and waited. In the end, his sister-in-law conceded and summoned her IS.

He saw pure red wings, red mechanical skirts and a pair of sheathed Japanese swords. Though he frowned at how the uniform just changed and replaced with a school swimsuit, Shinkurou let it slide due to his fatigue.

Next to Houki's side, Ichika summoned his IS and he was blanketed with a white frame paired with two giant wings.

Once the silver-haired boy marveled the scene before him, he saw the two of them extending their hands toward him. With the red backdrop and the glow of sunset basking upon the arena, he remembered a piece of the past and inhaled.

 _...Dammit_ , the former Vagrant thought. _I really haven't changed, huh?_

No matter what he said or did, his heart was still the same as before. It made him sick of himself, but he knew that going down the spiral would never lead him anywhere. He recalled the face of the blind Doll, and he suppressed a sigh as he reached out and grabbed the hands offered to him.

"I really can't beat any of you, huh?"

* * *

Later on, most of the Representative Candidates gathered in the cafeteria.

It was night so there weren't many students who could be seen. As such, one large round table surrounded by a circular couch was taken completely by the Representative Candidates.

Those who participated from the left to right were Cecilia, Charlotte, Laura, Ichika, and then Rin. It might warrant some remarks as Houki wasn't participating but she had decided to go off and make sure her brother-in-law stayed at the infirmary for medical check-up.

Anyway, everyone was waiting for dinner, but...

"So," Rin started. "I'll be blunt. That guy played around when he fought in the Battle Royal, didn't he?"

Anyone could tell the girl with brown twin-tail was fuming.

She puffed her cheeks and she tapped the surface of the table repeatedly that it was hard to turn a blind eye on her. Cecilia was the first to shoot down her question.

"Rin-san, you are being obnoxious." She raised a hand to place it on her bosom. "A little more context could help immensely, no?"

Before the Chinese and the British could blow a fuss, everyone did their best and calmed them down.

"Ugh… Fine, fine." The Chinese Representative Candidate waved in exasperation. "The transfer student, I mean. He fought like a completely different person this time."

"Is that why you believe he's hiding his talons?" Laura tilted her head and nodded down twice. "I suppose that is to be expected from you, Rin."

"What did you say…?!"

Before the girl could explode any further, Ichika and Charlotte immediately put her down. That being said…

"Do you… mind explaining, Laura?" The French representative asked.

"Hmm?" Laura raised an eyebrow, stopped drinking her sports drink, placed the bottle on the round table and then nodded down. "Each of us is a Representative Candidate of a nation. Why wouldn't we hide what we have from other countries?"

"While that's true, but…"

"Indeed, friends would be a different matter." Laura closed her eye and heaved. "But Charlotte. Aren't we forgetting something?"

Once her question was given out, everyone blinked and stared back at the German girl in confusion. It didn't seem like anyone had an answer as minutes full of silence went by, so Laura once again sighed and said this.

"Is the transfer student our friend?"

Most of the table occupants gasped. Some clearly creased their eyebrows but Laura continued on.

"It is true that Shinonono is our classmate, but we don't even know what that strange person does in private," Laura paused and then cleared her throat. "Excuse me. To prevent misunderstanding, I am talking about 'that guy' so fear not, Ichika. Houki is certainly a friend to all of us."

"Huh? Ah, yeah. Okay, then…?" Ichika dumbly responded. "I'm not sure why you needed to clarify who we're talking about, though…"

The girls around him all shrugged as if they understood something the boy did not. Even so, none intended to convey their thoughts out about it.

It was the usual thing for them, anyway.

"At any rate," the German girl said. "The transfer student has actively avoided any chance to socialize with other students and he's rarely seen during recesses, lunch breaks, or even after school periods. Not only that, his crass attitude and rough speech made him hard to approach, though some students seemed to find that charming."

"That's quite an analysis…" Cecilia commented.

"Yeah. Were you stalking him until now, Laura?" Rin asked.

The girl with an eyepatch merely tilted her head with unbroken composure.

"He's an unknown element and he is _the_ adopted sibling of Shinonono Tabane the world knows nothing about until a month ago," Laura said. "I don't see why I would not be wary of someone like that."

At her answer, everyone groaned in unison.

"I guess that's just like her…" Rin sighed.

"But thinking otherwise wouldn't be like her at all…" Cecilia combed her hair that fell over her shoulder and swayed close to her bosom with her fingers.

"W-Well, setting that aside…!" Charlotte clasped her hands together. "Laura, do you think Shinonono-kun is distancing himself from everyone? Why is that?"

The silver-haired girl put two fingers on her chin and hummed in thoughts.

"I have yet to understand why, but I've confirmed that he has engaged in mercenary activities for years," Laura explained. "Had he not been wounded so often, he would have matched me in close-range-combat. Furthermore, he is able to put up a decent fight with Instructor without taking critical damages, but his unit is severely inadequate to fight top IS such as the Kurezakura."

"Does that mean he is handicapped?" Charlotte asked back.

"Yes. And he probably doesn't even mind that. Someone who dislikes getting attention is not one who would care about winning or losing. In that case…"

A pause was drawn out, but then Laura suddenly turned her head.

Everyone followed her line of sight. They stared at the entrance of the cafeteria and they spotted two persons walking with one a step ahead of the other.

It was a girl and a boy. The girl had a long brown hair tied in a ponytail, and the boy had a black hair that closely resembled deep brown in coloration that a different angle of lighting would have mistaken it as the same brown color.

The two talked comfortably and Houki sometimes even smiled a little. The boy was putting a neutral air around him, however, and when he met the gazes of the table occupants…

"…What are you lot looking at?"

Ichika was the first to react. He blinked twice as if he had seen something strange, stood off his seat and pointed at the boy.

"Wait a minute… is that _you_ , Shinkurou!?"

The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow. He soon sighed and placed a hand on his hip.

"Yeah," he curtly said. "What of it?"

Now the same surprised looks spread to everyone excepting Houki. How? Why? When? What happened? There were many questions present in their heads but Ichika decided to take the second shot.

"No, well… But your hair color… Wasn't it like ash before?"

Shinkurou rolled his eyes to the side.

"My original hair color is like this." He pointed at his head. "Some healing nanomachines tend to give side-effects, and I finally got myself a proper injection of stabilizer to counteract their effects."

"…I didn't know nanomachines can do that."

"Faulty ones tend to do that," Shinkurou exchanged glances with everyone. "While they are powerful, nanomachines are still fairly new and expensive. If not for that stupid rabbit, the tech needed to develop them would still be stuck for at least a few more decades."

"…You sound unhappy with that, Shinkurou." Houki remarked dryly.

"Not really." Shinkurou shrugged. "After all, without them, I would have long succumbed to my wounds ten years ago."

The offhand comment caused everyone to freeze over before they stare intensely at him.

Ichika was the first to speak. "What kind of life have you been living?"

The adopted sibling of the Shinonono stared long at the younger Orimura sibling as if he saw something odd, and then he tilted his head.

"An uninteresting life no different than what you and anyone else have."

With that, most of the people involved in the discussion gave up on comprehending the strange person named Shinonono Shinkurou.


	28. Chapter 27 - Midsummer's Lesson

**Yeah... This has been a long while ever since I updated this story. I kind of... disliked the way I'm going with this chapter and decided to think properly, but I don't want to preach about things I have an aversion to argue about. Ultimately, this is because I don't believe I'm a good writer enough to write about big issues, thus why I couldn't finish this particular chapter on time.**

* * *

When school restarted and life entered a somewhat calm if not mundane routine without anything big going on, Ichika had a feeling that he was witnessing the return of normalcy to his life.

He was glad for that. Truly, he was. He even shed some tears and smiled like a saint.

Though saying that, as an expert who got involved in strange incidents almost in a regular basis, he of all people knew that peace could only last so long. Yes, something could happen anytime, anywhere, anyhow.

His experience was telling him that something would definitely ruin his day, but not today!

"Alright," from behind the teacher's desk, Chifuyu's voice easily cut through the noisy classroom. "Although it's been slightly delayed, I will now inform you lot about your second summer camp."

Ichika lurched, groaned, and planted his face on his desk. _Why is this happening to me…?_

* * *

As far as Shinkurou knew, summer was the time where corpses could decompose faster than the usual.

Yes, yes. He knew that he was not treating this 'summer camp' as serious as the rest of the class did, but he wasn't around when the Silver Gospel incident happened. The students he was mingled with were all creams of the crops and they had one or two roles during the whole shenanigans last year.

 _In summary,_ the now black-haired boy mused. _This isn't going to end well for everyone._

He wondered if he should point out that the Representative Candidates were the ones who did the most heavy-lifting, but since when had he cared about something besides himself? Shinkurou exasperated quietly as the Instructor finished her explanation.

 _I'm becoming way too relaxed..._

"We're going for a mountain climbing," the raven-haired woman said as she folded her arms. "Three days and two nights. The lodging will be at a camping site reserved by the academy. Make sure to not bring unimportant things and prepare yourself for urban battles. This is a good chance to test how far you have improved your practical and piloting skills, so I'll give extra points if you ever exceeded expectations."

In the midst of the excited murmurs, Shinkurou yawned and raised his right hand.

"What is it, Shinonono?" Chifuyu asked.

"Whose expectation are we talking about here, Instructor?"

The woman's grin could never be more bone-chilling in the eyes of class 2-1.

* * *

After all that was said and done, classes resumed without nothing of note going on.

Naturally, it would have been a blessing had some classmates did not have wastefully colorful personalities. It was a sort of twisted thing that tended to do less good than more for children of impressionable age, so Shinkurou concluded that Chifuyu must have a lot of headaches from this.

However, even that woman's problems didn't really matter in the end.

"As long as I don't get caught up, I don't have to care about them."

With such thought running on his mind, the boy proceeded on alternating between studying and dozing off. The winds were nice around this time and the windows were opened, so the situation was giving him a very tempting offer to laze around.

Also, history was such a borefest he could die from it.

"With that being said," Yamada Maya's voice resounded as the diagrams, texts, and pictures floated on the blackboard behind her. "While the IS has become the new standard military force, there are still problems in regard to their usage. Now, Orimura-kun, why is that?"

The boy sitting a few seats and a row away from Shinkurou's shook his head as if he received a rude awakening. He looked to the left and right, met Yamada Maya's gaze with a blank look and then pointed at himself as if asking 'Are you asking me?'.

Because of the nature of the teacher in question, all eyes were set on the first male IS pilot. He rubbed his head before he straightened his back as he answered.

"Well, umm… the Alaskan Treaty prevented IS from being used in war."

Yamada Maya smiled and nodded as if nudging her student to continue. That might not be enough of an incentive, so the green-haired woman asked.

"Why is that so?"

The younger brother of the Brunhildr scratched his cheek as if in thoughts, said 'Well…' without any more word and put his hand on his chin.

"The… the threat of mutual destruction?" Ichika muttered out. "I mean, not even nuclear warheads could match an IS, so if every country uses IS to go to war, then… nothing would be left."

 _Oh, so he can finish that._

Shinkurou felt the boy was the one who learned the most out of enrolling in the IS Academy. Though he might not know him personally, at least he could tell that Orimura Ichika was such a kind person that it disgusted Madoka.

 _Then again, that girl hates him for being raised with happiness,_ the former Vagrant mulled as he rested his chin in his hand. _But even people raised in happiness can sometimes tell why others feel sad and bitter._

"Yes! Correct! Well done, Orimura-kun!" Yamada Maya clapped her hands and beamed. "However, what do you think of other countries? Yes, for example… countries who are not as advanced or as rich as Japan, America, and the nations around the Europe?"

 _..hmm?_

"Umm," the younger Orimura sibling made a confused sound. "What do you mean by that, Yamada-sensei?"

"Well… while it's true that IS has created various major breakthroughs in the realms of science, such wondrous technology still possesses one weakness." The teacher assigned to teach history for Class 2-1 raised her right index finger. "That is, availability."

Shinkurou felt a stir washing across the students. He glanced around discreetly and found a classmate he couldn't remember what her name was raising a hand.

"Is it because Infinite Stratos cannot be mass-produced?"

Yamada Maya promptly nodded and stepped aside so that the entire class could obtain a clear view of the blackboard. As if taking that as a cue, the holographic display changed and a 3D projection of the world appeared.

The planet was divided by timezone grids, and the continents were further outlined with national borders. After that, arrows could be seen spreading from Japan to various countries, and interestingly, there were many countries not being on the receiving ends of those arrows.

"Because the 467 Cores of IS cannot be mass-produced, extensive research and development of IS have been a slow-going." Yamada Maya waved her left hand and textboxes tagged the various regions around the projection. "Adding with the funding needed to maintain both the IS and the technology revolving around it, less advanced countries naturally would have troubles accessing and reaping benefits from Infinite Stratos."

The teacher in yellow blouse muttered 'Now then…' as she moved her gaze away from the blackboard and to the class.

"Pop quiz! What do you think happened when a country does not receive the same benefits as other countries do from Infinite Stratos?"

The moment that question was given out, nobody answered.

At first, Yamada Maya's smile was still holding on the cheerful spirits she had when her students were being proactive about her lessons, but soon it became hard to endure and the teacher twitched in place.

"H-Huh? No one wants to answer?" The petite woman turned her head around in search for a hope that seemed to not exist even if she were to look for it. "Huuuuh!? D-Did I fail!? Is it too hard…!?"

 _Not really,_ Shinkurou thought in bemusement. _It's just that no one has the initiative to answer._

Really, that was why Shinkurou disliked being in this sort of place. He was about to sigh in annoyance when one Chinese girl stood up from her seat and raised her hand.

"Sensei, I can answer that."

Yamada Maya's spirit could never be as bright as of now. After wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, the world history teacher extended a hand to Huang Lingyin as if passing the baton.

The one often called as Rin nodded.

"Well, China has a multilateral relationship with its neighboring countries, but that now extends further to some nations in Europe, Middle East, and all of Southeast Asia," explained she. "Though saying that, the progress of the research differs depending on the state of the country we're dealing with. It created huge gaps between each country, so to speak."

The girl with long brown twin-tail might be using the term 'We' because she considered China as a part of herself. It was the pride of a countryman supported by her title as a Representative Candidate who symbolized China's might in the fields of Infinite Stratos.

 _I guess even she is aware of her own situation,_ Shinkurou noted.

"Umm, if it's alright with you, what sort of aspects caused the gaps?" Yamada Maya replied.

"Well… economy, technology, general welfare, political system, moral and ethics, military power…" Huang hummed in thoughts. "Mmm, also culture and religion, I guess? We're not really bothered by the last two but I've heard those can be big factors."

"Then, what happens to those countries for having those issues?"

"...They got left behind in times?"

Shinkurou couldn't help but exasperate now.

No, it wasn't like he found the answer to be inadequate. In fact, as a student from another country, that would be within expectations. Huang still somewhat missed the point, though.

Yes, the less advanced countries would be left behind. Yes, a lot of aspects would restrict those countries from enjoying the same benefits, even cause them to regress. Yes, many countries _could_ give no care about the idea of 'women are superior to men' that was induced by Infinite Stratos even if they were able to afford it.

However, those weren't all _._

Some countries would turn their backs on laws and steal research data of other countries if they were desperate enough. Some would scheme and backstab their friends if they were getting in the way. Some would outright use terrorists like Phantom Task if that was necessary to tidy their agendas.

 _And at the end of it, a lot of people wasted their efforts, time, money and life for absolutely nothing._

"...People are such a pain in the ass…"

The battlefield was a simpler and less contrived place than this. The former vagrant wondered if this was just a dream he would eventually wake up from, but...

 _I've already decided to accept that I'm a part of someone's world, huh?_

Summer was about to pass in less than two months. The sky was clear without clouds, and the dazzling sunlight was accompanied by the buzzing of cicadas.

As the boy looked at the windows, he tuned out the lectures and wondered what that doll and her 'mother' were up to.


	29. Chapter 28 - Preparatory Period

At a certain place no one but the select few could ever know, two people were moving.

One of them was a purple-haired young woman in a light blue dress. Her clothing style resembled the character Alice of Alice in Wonderland, and surprisingly, the usual wide smile always sighted on her face was subdued.

 _She's smiling slightly less than before…_

The second person was a silver-haired girl. Her eyes were always closed, and a cane dangled by her waist. Even though she couldn't exactly see the world with her own eyes, the girl had an alternative gifted by her savior. Chloe had once thought that using 'it' too often might cause her to be overly reliant, but Tabane told her that 'it' was a part of her, so there was no reason to hold back. After all, they were one and the same.

 _But I still feel reluctant on that front…_

As she carried a silver tray filled with a teapot, several teacups, and a small mountain of sweets on a white plate, Chloe Chronicle approached her guardian. But before she could tell her the words she needed to say, the silver-haired girl placed the tray on a circular table floating idly close to Tabane.

"Ta…" Chloe paused and corrected her words. " _Okaa-sama_ , it is time for a short break. You have been working without stopping for the past four hours."

The artificial rabbit ears made with the design of a flip phone perked up. The chair the purple-haired genius inventor released a small hiss while various monitors, keyboards, cables, and interfaces moved away from Tabane's surrounding.

Chloe heard the optical scanner placed away by hands and she felt the gaze of her savior turned toward her. As always, being stared at for more than a minute made her a bit uncomfortable—

"Is that scone, Ku-chan? It's chow time~!"

Brazenly but without surprising her, Tabane swept the snacks into her hands and devoured them all at once. Chloe imagined the exasperated looks of her savior's friend and family for a moment, but then she wondered if it was wrong to not give some scolding at the lack of table manners her surrogate parent had.

 _After all… we are family._

"Mmm…! Twas a good meal! Thanks for the meal!" Tabane leaned, picked up the teapot and poured one of the teacups with its golden brown content. "Ooh… You can brew excellently now, Ku-chan."

"Eh? A-ah… Yes." Chloe nodded sheepishly. "I thought that I should widen the variety if I ever wish to be more skillful… Should I not have done it?"

The silver-haired girl heard a giggle. Then she felt warm sensation touching and rubbing her head; Chloe realized that Tabane was patting her.

"Ku-chan is a good child and fast learner, so I'm sure that's not the wrong thing to do! In fact, mommy here encourages it! Go for it, Ku-chan!"

"I-Is that so… Thank you for the kind words… _Okaa-sama_."

This time, Chloe heard a delighted squeal, but she believed she had received twice as much happiness than Tabane. When your efforts, failures, time and resolve were paid in full, there was just no way to not feel so overjoyed. _Plus, it seems I can be of some help to my family._

Chloe considered that as a great achievement, and she patted herself on the back, accepting that as a reward and motivation to work even harder.

"Oh," it was then the girl remembered something she had been curious about. "Okaa-sama, what have you been working on?"

Tabane's mechanical rabbit ears twitched. Chloe wondered if those accessory pieces had a link to one's thoughts or brainwave, as they seemed to move as if reflecting Tabane's moods.

 _They're straightening up, so does that mean she didn't expect my question?_

Tabane answered by laughing and rubbing the back of her head. The familiar smile Chloe knew remained on the woman's fair face, but it seemed a bit strained if not a little tense.

"Aha ha ha… It's nothing really big, but…" Tabane rolled her shoulders lightly and placed both of her hands on her waist. "It's about Ro-kun's unit, you see."

 _That person's machine?_

"I've been working on it again after receiving the latest data," Tabane explained as she stretched her left arm to the side. The way she stood next to the workshop looked as if she was presenting Chloe what she had been working on, which was an apt description, all things considered. "But it's been difficult. I'm quite sure the thing Ro-kun wanted from it isn't something I really like."

"What he wanted of it…?" Chloe raised her right hand and pressed it on her chin. "...Does that mean what Shinkurou-san wants to pilot is not an Infinite Stratos?"

Tabane clapped her hands merrily. She exclaimed 'you guessed correctly!' and twirled in place.

As if some automatic programs had been running in the backdrop, beeping noise echoed and Chloe detected many holographic displays appearing all over the cylindrical workshop. It would have been difficult for her eyes to read the information, but since 'it' was given a small authority in the base, the information floating in places were fed through a private information server and explained data about a certain failed prototype.

From the hardware to the software, Chloe processed the bulk of data in seconds.

There were various things to note of, many of them being the state of the Ashen Crow. The prototype was expectedly wonderful in terms of defensive capability, but it lacked the durability needed to block energy-based weapons. It didn't even have the ability to engage in prolonged contact with laser-based weaponry. In return, it prioritized evasion by being equipped with extremely high acceleration rate, making the unit as the best in high-speed battles, skirmishes, and surprise attacks.

 _But it still has an awfully lacking parameter needed to move in lower subsonic realm freely, which neutralizes the machine from truly excelling in its own field._

As Chloe mulled about how similar the Ashen Crow was with modern jet fighters, her accelerated thought came across the unit's flight record. It wasn't something difficult to understand for average IS pilots, but something that would definitely look out-of-place suddenly appeared. Chloe frowned in thoughts.

 _Could this be the reason why…?_

Before she could raise her question, Tabane nodded and turned her back on her. The purple-haired woman gazed at the center of the workshop where the shape of a metal skeleton… the basic frame of a machine stood like a monument.

"This is a problem," Tabane softly murmured. "I didn't know Ro-kun wants to fly higher than anyone."

* * *

School had just ended for today.

In the school dormitory, which was his current permanent residence, a boy glared at his reflection and pulled down a strand of ashen hair in front of his unfriendly-looking face. It had only been a few days at most, but it turned out not even the ISA's medical technology and expertise could completely nullify the side-effects of the things that saved his life ten years ago.

It was such a bother. His hair's pigment was losing out to the nanomachines, so his body might still have something in need of immediate treatment. His body had gone through various punishments, but it wasn't like Shinkurou was immune to pain, and neither he wanted to be injured in the first place.

 _Does that mean I don't have the luck to live without getting hurt, or is it just that I need to reconsider my skills and approach?_

"Or maybe my hair has finally grayed out," Shinkurou commented without thinking, but soon he frowned at the possibility that might have more likelihood than anyone could ever expect. "...Please don't tell me that's truly the case."

Admitting temporary defeat by expelling a deep sigh, the boy ran his right hand over his head for one last time before he exited the bathroom. He walked back to the bedroom area, and he found his roommate walking back-and-forth from the wardrobe to his bed.

"Spare clothes, towel, swimming trunks just in case we're going to the river…" The younger Orimura sibling paused in mid-step. "Since we're going to the mountain, maybe I should buy some insect repellant too."

Shinkurou stared for a bit. Wasn't the summer camp next week? Why was this guy rushing… _oh, probably have something to do with Her Majesty the Drill Sergeant._

Shaking his head, the former vagrant settled on his own bed and checked his phone. It had been in a charging state, but the red indicator turned to have stopped shining. Shinkurou promptly disconnected the phone from its charger and checked if there was any important mail had entered his mailbox.

There wasn't any.

"Shinkurou. If you're not doing anything, why don't you get your stuff ready?"

Ichika's off-handed question drew Shinkurou away from ruining his own mood, but the boy shook his head in refusal.

"I don't have the interests to play around," the boy with unnatural hair color explained. "Just the basic. Daily necessity, survival kit, and medical supply."

Instead of getting offended, his roommate brightened at the mention of 'medical supply'. He rushed to check if he had any portable water purifier and medicines, making various unpleasant noise while at it. Ichika's optimism baffled Shinkurou, but being forced to be the house's caretaker while his legal guardian worked to the bones might have something to do with that.

 _At least it would explain why he doesn't complain even when he's treated unfairly, but that's the standard mentality of male Japanese citizens._

Shinkurou settled on his bed with his back leaning against the wall, his right leg flexed and his left leg stretched forward. The latest transfer student was about to relax when Ichika called out to him again. This time, Shinkurou promptly ignored him in favor of taking out a headset from the cupboard sitting in-between his and Ichika's bed and wore it.

After switching on the music player, the sound of the world faded away, replaced by the techno-beat of some songs Shinkurou randomly selected from the music library.

"What is it, Mister Popular Guy?" He asked in a plain voice.

After his delayed answer, Shinkurou guessed the lack of response might have been a sign of his classmate sighing in annoyance. The volume of the music wasn't set very high, so he could still hear his roommate's words when they were spelled out loud.

"What do you mean by that, oy."

"Try putting your hand on your chest and think about it," Shinkurou shot back as he scoffed at the laxness of security on the internet nowadays. "No, wait, forget it. It's not like you will understand, anyway. You need the words properly spelled out at your face if you want to be aware of it."

It took a few moments for a decent response to reach his way.

"You're acting like a delinquent," the First Male IS Pilot remarked before he grumbled. "Do you have the habit of not listening to others, or what?"

"When it doesn't benefit me, yes." The Second Male IS Pilot flipped the phone he had received from the academy board as a freebie horizontally. "I will answer smart questions, however."

Shinkurou was sure he heard Ichika grunting. He also detected some gibberish mutterings, probably some sort of snarky comment, but that was yet again something Shinkurou had often heard. People get offended way too easily these days.

"Then here's a question," Ichika paused as if to dangle a hook in front of his roommate. "What do you think of the summer camp?"

Shinkurou traced his right thumb from the left to the right. The menu screen switched to the second page and displayed an array of applications in the form of small icons. Most of them were standard issues, so Shinkurou cursored his thumb over and pressed the icon which brought up the local application store.

"Normally, the pattern would be 'we went to the beach last year, so this year will be mountain climbing'," Shinkurou paused before he typed the name of the application he wanted. "But personally, this is most likely because of the Gospel Incident influencing the faculty's final decision."

"...How do you know that incident?"

Shinkurou eyes swam as they reflected the colorful and stylized icons displayed on the phone screen.

"It's on the news, it's on the magazines, it's on the internet, and it's a sensitive topic." Shinkurou pressed the 'install' button. A small window with a green bar popped out. "Unmanned IS is as new as fourth-gen IS, especially one that underwent Second Shift in the middle of fierce battle."

Sure, America had fewer war machines to utilize now, but in exchange, they had obtained an immense amount of data to develop and produce _unmanned_ weaponry. Imagine the amount of time and efforts you could save to arm your country now that the best weapon–the Infinite Stratos–had been proven capable of being used without actual pilots.

"It might be a freak incident, but I doubt the academy wants to give it another chance."

"Well, I guess that also works…" Ichika trailed off. "...Now that I think about it, Natasha-san seems happy the IS Core remains intact."

"If the core exploded, you wouldn't be standing here until now, Mister White Knight."

Shinkurou didn't forget to scoff, though the timing merely coincided with the end of the waiting game. At last, he could now connect to a secure channel and contact the broker—

"That would definitely suck, yeah…" Ichika's voice carried over in contemplation. "I guess that I'm still not there yet, then. Have to get myself together."

...Oh?

"Are you worried not being able to live up to everyone's expectations?" Shinkurou tilted his head, glancing at his roommate who had stopped moving all over the place.

"Well, yeah." The black-haired boy scratched his cheek. "I mean, the girls are strong, but it'd be uncool if I can't be reliable enough to protect them in turn."

"Because it's the men's job to protect women and children?" Shinkurou quirked his lips upward.

The answer came with a simple nod, but that was more than enough for Shinkurou to once again reassess his opinion. As expected, Orimura Ichika had flaws beneath his so-called kindness and heroic tendency, but to think it was something that could easily be manipulated if the correct triggers were pushed...

 _What an old-fashioned mindset,_ Shinkurou considered. _Still, that's so typical, to be raised with that sort of stupidity._

He wondered if it had something to do with Ichika's upbringing as well. IS and women's supremacy popped up only a decade ago. While the current world ran with the idea that women were stronger than men, it didn't mean societies and people could easily accept that. There were some who accepted it, some who rejected it, and some who have no care about it.

Shinkurou was naturally the last one, and it was obviously because he had no reason to give a care. Come back after you could feed your stomach with ideologies.

"Then," Shinkurou said, his eyelids fluttering down so that he could savor a classical music track which began with a lullaby. "Women and children will be the death of you in the future."

"Ugh. You're so awful, Shinkurou…"

 _That's a high praise, coming from the person whose guts M hated the most._


	30. Chapter 29 - Beginning of Summer Camp

The summer camp arrived in no time at all.

After gathering in front of the rebuilt train station, the second-years who had chosen to participate in the field trip went into the designated buses. There was nothing of importance to note, but Shinkurou could tell that the security was slightly stricter than the usual. It might have something to do with the previous incidents, but it might be that the teachers would not like more problems on their lap. A very convincing reason to stay alert, indeed.

It didn't take long for the vehicles to go off. The buses entered the streets, went through the town's highway, and left the town in a relatively quick time. The scenery blurred past, but all that was left to enjoy was a momentary silence that was broken by the easily excited students. The noise grew loud and loud that Shinkurou became too used to it all.

"Here," it was then that the person sitting next to him muttered out, her hand holding a bag of potato chips. "Do you want some?"

Shinkurou tilted his head for a bit.

Strands of silver swayed in the corner of his eyes, but he ignored them. It wasn't worth the trouble and he would like to be left alone for most of the time, though the hope seemed to have already dashed away. Inhaling, the boy raised his hand and took a chip into his mouth.

"...Salty," Shinkurou commented after crushing the crispy snack. "At least it's not as salty as the seawater."

"...Why would you swallow seawater?"

 _Because I drowned, of course,_ the boy commented in his mind. _Not that I'm a bad swimmer, but sinking after getting shot down is one hell of an experience._

Speaking of experience, he was getting used to blending in. Looking to the side, the person who had offered the snack to him talking with those at the other side of the bus. From the way she talked with the people she had often associated herself with, it was clear that Houki was more comfortable being around people she knew.

Shinkurou wondered why, and he immediately obtained an answer.

"...That rabbit…"

He might have raised his voice a bit too loud. Houki blinked and turned around, asking him what was wrong. Shinkurou shook his head and told her there was nothing.

Needless to say, Houki gave a look that totally announced she wasn't buying it at all. She was unimpressed, yet she snorted and resumed talking with the others. The cacophony of noise, the drowned sound of a radio broadcast, and the moving scenery outside of the windows rolled on as if ignoring him. But that was fine, it was better this way.

 _...At least she knows when to push._

Feeling slightly grateful, Shinkurou rested his cheek on his hand. He closed his eyes, but the darkness did not have anything to offer to him. There was no dream, no resurfacing memories, nothing but a warm darkness provided by the intrusive sunlight. It was irritating, but he couldn't fight back. As the seat trembled from the bus's movement and engines, Shinkurou thought he was sitting in a rocking chair at a terrace, all the while a warm summer breeze filled the air.

 _...This feels nice._

* * *

The campsite was, as expected, a barren clearing with a few facilities to accomplish daily necessities. It took an hour from the bus stop to reach it, and the campsite could be located after going past the first checkpoint. But what did that mean?

In short, the entire second-years were forced to climb the mountain.

"An exercise from the get-go," Shinkurou muttered bemusedly. "I see that you're still relentless, Instructor."

The homeroom teacher of his class merely snorted. It was easy to tell how much she looked down on his puny ribbing, but from the way she turned her head, Shinkurou knew she was being slightly irritated.

The reason why existed right behind the two.

"You know," Shinkurou began, his gaze flattening at the sight of a group of teenagers so exhausted they had collapsed on the grounds. "The lot of you need to lessen your luggage. What the hell were you planning for a short trip like this?"

"B-Be quiet…!" Cecilia Alcott cried out, even as she leaned and embraced a luggage twice as wide as her body. "It, it's none of your business!"

Shinkurou intently ignored the British representative's seething glare. No use talking to idiots, so he rotated his head to look at the others.

First, he saw a boy and a girl sitting on the grounds, looking as exhausted as their British classmate. Ichika heaved with his arms supporting his upper body, and he gazed at the sky–probably to stop himself from puking out his lunch. On the other hand, Linying sat down with her legs bent on either sides, her head hanging low as she groaned lowly.

As expected, among the currently present Representative Candidates, only Houki, Laura, and Dunois were still standing on their own feet. The last one had a complexion with beads of sweat sliding down her forehead, but the other two were relatively unaffected from climbing the mountain with heavy luggage on their backs.

"Hmm," the boy hummed. "The doll is obviously the exception, but it seems I've underestimated you, sis."

"It seems you did." Houki placed her left hand on her waist and lifted her shoulder bag with her right hand. The thing which seemed like it could stuff in a male adult was handled by his step-sister with ease. "The foundation of swordsmanship is the footing. If you do not have strong legs and the necessary stamina as if you can ever hope to own your gears."

Hoh. He didn't expect to discover a new side to his family in this kind of timing and situation. He would never say anything about Houki's social life, but he hadn't tried to see things from another perspective. Honestly, he considered martial arts as only combat tools, but then again, there were _reasons_ behind their systematically boorish techniques.

"Ah, everyone! Please gather in lines!"

 _Oh, it looks like the briefing will begin._

* * *

After an hour of rest and placement of groups, there were several things Shinkurou took note of.

One, he was paired with Ichika _again_. With the nature of Academy in play, he was obviously set up to stay in the same tent with a fellow male student, all for the sake of upholding the overall morals and reputation of the female students. He had no problem with it but he wouldn't want any unneeded troubles, so he demanded that the boys-only area be off-limits for the girls.

He naturally noticed the reproachful looks the Representative Candidates–including his own sister–gave to him, but like hell would he allow himself to be a secondary target in the firing range. There was no way he could survive a battle encounter against a group of cutting-edge, talented _and_ skilled IS trainee pilots.

 _Though the part about 'skilled' depends on who I'm talking about—_

Either way, he had safeguarded the perimeter. Following after that, his homeroom teacher instructed the entire students to gather in the clearing a few hundred meters above the campsite. It had a panoramic view with a sloped lane stretching down, and the boy saw a military base deep in the woods. His curiosity and suspicion tickled, Shinkurou pursued his interests and received a swift answer from Chifuyu:

"That one is the American military base. Feel free to waste ammo and energy since they will provide us with the necessary supply."

It didn't need to be said that terrorist attack would alert the base. Still… that was quite generous of them, even after what had happened during the World Purge incident.

 _Not like I could ever care about political heists, that way lies the cauldron of hell._

"Listen up, you lots." Chifuyu raised her attendance book in her right hand. "We will start with regular exercise. Once you're done with that, join your respective groups in your units, and head to the forest. Keep a lookout if you want to win for sure."

As if noticing what no one did not, Ichika raised his hand. He flinched from the sudden gazes gathering on him, but he bravely continued on.

"Err, Instructor, what's the occasion?"

The elder Orimura sibling grinned, "Isn't it obvious?"

Instantly realizing the intention behind her words and expression Shinkurou exasperated in resignation. The world was truly out against him...

* * *

The digital clock at the corner of the HUD indicated the beginning of 11 AM.

The mountainside forest was quiet, almost too quiet, had it been not for the silent growls of engines and shifting plates of armors. Shaded beneath the foliages, a group of four armored beings glanced around with their optical and auditory sensors set at highest value allowed for the Special Mission.

"Point B-1 is here," Ichika remarked, finding relief that he didn't receive any scolding for a failure in reaching the correct destination. He looked at his companions and smiled as it turned out he was being included in the same clique. This meant a great chance for teamwork to succeed better than the usual. "Still… nice to work with you again, Shinkurou."

His fellow comrade and roommate snorted. His personality was hard to grasp as usual, but he seemed to react less terse than before. The first days he transferred in, the adoptive sibling of Houki and Tabane barely interacted and fled from any who sought him. Was it because he could set aside personal matters and business? He'd very much like to learn that skill these days around; probably would allow him to improve and catch up with his friends faster.

Nodding to himself, Ichika turned to face the rest of the group.

"Hey, Laura-chan. We're together again."

"Hm. It's reassuring to know that you are here as well, Charlotte."

The German and French girl greeted each other in their own ways. Charlotte smiled warmly while Laura smiled back albeit professionally. The contrast was as strong as day and night, but despite their early misgivings, the two acted amiably to each other.

However, for some reasons, Ichika felt like Laura wouldn't be in such a good mood had she been alone in this. Was it because of the nature of the mission? Did it bug her just like it did to Ichika and Shinkurou?

"Laura Bodewig."

Suddenly calling out with her full name, Shinkurou's voice struck Ichika in an inexplicable way. Did… did he just sense some sort of consideration in that callous voice? What had happened?

"What is it?" Laura irritatedly replied.

The boy in one-winged unit raised his right hand. The armored gauntlet looked like it had some sort of extension, it looked like a triangular shield if seen from a certain perspective, and the owner of that gauntlet spoke out.

"Do you have anything against playing dirty?"

...Huh? What did he just hear?

Ichika didn't realize he had muttered out that surprised sound together with his friends. Charlotte blinked in confusion, and Laura was stunned daze until the look of realization dawned on her. The silver-haired and eyepatched girl adopted a thinking posture and before long, her lips stretched wide into a freezing smirk.

"So our thoughts coincide for once," the girl with the bearing of a soldier remarked, seemingly delighted as a glint appeared in her deep ruby-colored eye. "Well done deducing the point of this training camp. It really does seem like you've taken the Instructor's lessons to heart."

As if mirroring the expression that had once made Ichika wish he could run for the hills before it was too late, the transfer student chuckled darkly.

"It's not that hard to guess," Shinonono Shinkurou admitted. "But I _do_ want to be in my element for once."

"Is that so? Is that so…?" Laura of all people _giggled._ "Excellent. For once, I shall expect nothing but the best results from you, Shinonono Shinkurou."

Charlotte and Ichika reflexively distanced themselves from their laughing teammates. They felt like they weren't supposed to be there. Even though the two in front of them were their allies, the boy and the girl felt like they had to warn the others scattered in the forest even if they must break the rules. Only their fear of Chifuyu's wrath kept them firmly leashed to the rules, but that caused a horrible realization to dawn in:

 _Ah, we're the bad guys this time, aren't we?_


End file.
